Explore the first institutional exhibition of Izumi Kato’s work in the UK. Living and working between Tokyo and Hong Kong, Kato creates striking paintings and sculptures that bring to life a world both ancient and futuristic.
Known for his vividly coloured, enigmatic creatures that are as fascinating as they are strange. Kato’s work explores the space between the physical and the spiritual, the human and the otherworldly.
Bringing together large and small-scale paintings, sculptures and a striking outdoor installation in the walled garden, visitors are invited into an imaginative realm. Kato paints intuitively, often applying pigment directly to the canvas with his hands to maintain direct and precise control over his medium. Meanwhile, his sculptural work incorporates diverse materials, such as textiles, wood, and stone, which are carved, stitched, and collaged into artworks. He sees his sculptural practice as a way to deepen and challenge his understanding of what constitutes a painting.
Kato’s artistic practice resonates with the experimental approach of the Bloomsbury group and draws connections to his influences – post-impressionism, Van Gogh, and Japanese ukiyo-e prints.
As Kato’s dreamlike figures take up residence, they invite close looking and an appreciation for the materials and techniques that bring them to life.
Izumi Kato (b. 1969, Shimane, Japan) lives and works between Tokyo and Hong Kong. His birthplace, a region rich in Shinto traditions and mythologies, has shaped his distinctive visual language. Drawing on influences from primitive art, animist beliefs, and post-impressionist painters such as Vincent van Gogh, Kato’s work embraces the essence of humanity through its simplified, universal forms and striking use of colour. Izumi Kato is represented by Stephen Friedman Gallery and Perrotin.