Watoku Ueno was born in Japan and graduated from the Sokei Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied various kinds of painting techniques. He was drawn to American painters from the 1950s, particularly Arshile Gorky and Willem De Kooning. Outside of school he wrote and produced four plays. He was in charge of most aspects of the production and also acted in these pieces, but he was most passionate about directing and design. Given his interest in theatre and Modern Art, it was quite natural that he eventually landed in New York. He chose not the glamour of Broadway shows, but the experimental work at La MaMa E.T.C. He has never looked back.
