Searching for another world within his paintings, Izumi Kato creates a captivating realm that lies in the depths of human unconsciousness. Calling to mind primitive arts, Kato’s human-shaped motifs maintain a sense of anonymity, evoking totems and the animalist beliefs that spiritual forces run through living and mineral worlds alike. Incorporating legends and folklore of his native home in Shimane prefecture, a coastal town in western Japan known as the land of the myth, the present work features Kato’s household subject – a fascinating yet enigmatic creature with an embryo-like head and fully developed limbs. Basing his practice on instinctive premonition rather than intention, the elementary representation of bodily features are rendered with simple outlines, but filled with vibrant and earthy tones to create depth. The figure looks straight at the viewer with a pair of fathomless eyes, leaving a lingering impression. Situated between abstraction and figuration, Kato’s work resonates with a powerful visual language that draws upon the relationship between nature and humanity.

With a unique form of expression, Kato is undoubtedly breaking new ground in the contemporary art world. The artist’s participation in the Venice Biennale in 2007 propelled his career onto the international stage, where he continues to garner critical attention. Kato has recently been honoured with solo shows at Galerie Perrotin in Paris (2020) and Hong Kong (2020) and a major institutional show at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo (2019).