Yuga Soma-Uéno

Born in Chiba in 1997.

Using “thingness” and phenomena as clues, they are presenting installation/multi-media works that expand the 20th century as an object seen from the 21st century and its self-identity as a subject.

In addition to being a contemporary artist, he is also active as a musician under the name “Musʼc.”

He was influenced by 20th century contemporary music and contemporary art, triggered by musical works by Toru Takemitsu, which he came into contact with since the age of 14.

From the viewpoint of the 21st century as an age where art is not technology, but with a method of quoting things (objects/matter) of 20th century art based on that place, they create and present cross-disciplinary and introspective works that make full use of all materials and media. Based on my own musical experience, many of his works are installation art using sound in particular. In addition to being a contemporary artist, he is also active as a musician/composer “Mus'c.”

Major exhibitions in recent years include “Well-Being” (Gallery K/Kyobashi, Tokyo), “SICF23 EXHIBITION Winners Exhibition” (Spiral/Aoyama, Tokyo), “ZOU-NO-HANA FUTURESCAPE PROJECT 2022" (ZOU-NO-HANA Terrace/ZOU-NO-HANA Park, Yokohama), Critique Series vol.1 Yuga Soma-Uéno: solo exhibition “Objective Counterpoint | 20←” ( Funabashi Citizen's Gallery, Chiba), etc. Participated in solo and group exhibitions at the “Center Line Art Festival Tokyo” and other events ('21 to '24).

Major awards include the Sakichi Sato Award 2023 - Excellent Advertising Art Award (from yoowa vol.0 “Spring Spring”), the “SICF23” Shinji Ohmaki Prize, the 2nd ISAC International Composition Contest Special Prize (Special Prize), and the Shimamura Gakki “Torecon 2022” Grand Prix Instrumental Division Excellence Award.

“Bicycles, fluorescent lights, and radios, for example, are materials that often appear in my works, but the reason why there is almost no deformation or division applied to them is that while maintaining an arbitrary relationship between the material and its meaning, they are inevitably accompanied by such strong practicality that it cannot be applied. I am inseparable, and I don't have enough strength to be connected. The relationship between those “things” used/used (unconsciously) with people is negotiation and confrontation rather than coordination, and the incompatibility between materials and works, works and viewers, genre A and genre B, and people underlies the lack of compatibility between people in production expression.”