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Lot Essay
The ghost stories from Shimane prefecture are told to children to deter them from danger, influenced not only on Izumi Kato's works but his personality. Perhaps that is why his sculptures of bobble-headed figures are 'extra-terrestrial' and 'otherwordly.' These simple faces silently stare at the viewers with their penetrating eyes and invite interaction.
Described as a 'mix of Japanese and African art', Kato's beings evoke African totems with a slight resemblance to Dogū – clay figurines from the Jomonera (14,000-400BC). African elements in Kato's work are apparent through the emphasis on the human figure and lack of concern for naturalistic expression. These colourful ethnographic human shapes blend Japanese and African characteristics to form a unique style that is closely related to Dubuffet's Outsider art. They both encapsulate elaborate fantasy worlds and unconventional ideas, with close attention to the threedimensional composition and outline.
Kato didn't delve into art immediately after graduating the prestigious Musashino Art University. As a young man he wanted to become a musician and it was not until Kato became thirty did he return to painting to see if he possessed the talent for it. Sculptures for Kato are a lot easier to create as their three-dimensionality easily correlates with the world. This limited series of wooden sculptures adorned with stone-eyes were created from 2008 through 2011. Untitled (Lot 302) is an earlier sculpture with a tripod base supporting the large figure with two smaller heads atop. Kato's earlier sculptures were not self-standing, however, from 2007 to 2011, he began to use ready-made components of vintage furniture to create erecting works. Untitled exemplifies how the artist is free from conventional and academic sculpture-making concepts. Similarly, the idea of painting the faces using circles, dots and lines stems from Kato's reaction against the Japanese art education. The specialised technical skill required to pass the entrance exam made Kato question the core and foundation of art. Untitled (Lot 303) is a triptych of three heads with dots painted to resemble hair, echoing the curly hair on Buddha statues. Soft shades of blended colour brighten up the murky black surface of the canvas and viewers are confronted with huge multi-coloured eyes of a man, a woman and a child, which are the icons the artist deem fundamental to humanity. Kato created this series of six, each a set of three large paintings of a nuclear family. Created in 2007, Untitled is one of the only two works that portrays faces as a motif. 2007 is a year marks an important milestone for the artist as he participated in the 52nd Venice Biennale, which elevated him to the international art scene.
The turning point in his work came when Kato transitioned from acrylic to oil paint and working with a spatula and wearing latex gloves to apply paint onto his canvases and sculptures. This was also the time he transitioned from a symbolic style to 'more humanlike shapes and faces.' Kato never paints a specific person's face nor does he use a model. His process of hand-rubbing the pigment allows him to do what feels natural, enabling him to easily achieve what he wants whilst also enjoying the way the paint feels. Even if the artist has an initial image in mind, he allows the work to evolve naturally during his creative process.
Today, Kato continues to live and work in Tokyo whilst exhibiting worldwide most notably in New York, Paris, and Hong Kong.
Described as a 'mix of Japanese and African art', Kato's beings evoke African totems with a slight resemblance to Dogū – clay figurines from the Jomonera (14,000-400BC). African elements in Kato's work are apparent through the emphasis on the human figure and lack of concern for naturalistic expression. These colourful ethnographic human shapes blend Japanese and African characteristics to form a unique style that is closely related to Dubuffet's Outsider art. They both encapsulate elaborate fantasy worlds and unconventional ideas, with close attention to the threedimensional composition and outline.
Kato didn't delve into art immediately after graduating the prestigious Musashino Art University. As a young man he wanted to become a musician and it was not until Kato became thirty did he return to painting to see if he possessed the talent for it. Sculptures for Kato are a lot easier to create as their three-dimensionality easily correlates with the world. This limited series of wooden sculptures adorned with stone-eyes were created from 2008 through 2011. Untitled (Lot 302) is an earlier sculpture with a tripod base supporting the large figure with two smaller heads atop. Kato's earlier sculptures were not self-standing, however, from 2007 to 2011, he began to use ready-made components of vintage furniture to create erecting works. Untitled exemplifies how the artist is free from conventional and academic sculpture-making concepts. Similarly, the idea of painting the faces using circles, dots and lines stems from Kato's reaction against the Japanese art education. The specialised technical skill required to pass the entrance exam made Kato question the core and foundation of art. Untitled (Lot 303) is a triptych of three heads with dots painted to resemble hair, echoing the curly hair on Buddha statues. Soft shades of blended colour brighten up the murky black surface of the canvas and viewers are confronted with huge multi-coloured eyes of a man, a woman and a child, which are the icons the artist deem fundamental to humanity. Kato created this series of six, each a set of three large paintings of a nuclear family. Created in 2007, Untitled is one of the only two works that portrays faces as a motif. 2007 is a year marks an important milestone for the artist as he participated in the 52nd Venice Biennale, which elevated him to the international art scene.
The turning point in his work came when Kato transitioned from acrylic to oil paint and working with a spatula and wearing latex gloves to apply paint onto his canvases and sculptures. This was also the time he transitioned from a symbolic style to 'more humanlike shapes and faces.' Kato never paints a specific person's face nor does he use a model. His process of hand-rubbing the pigment allows him to do what feels natural, enabling him to easily achieve what he wants whilst also enjoying the way the paint feels. Even if the artist has an initial image in mind, he allows the work to evolve naturally during his creative process.
Today, Kato continues to live and work in Tokyo whilst exhibiting worldwide most notably in New York, Paris, and Hong Kong.