Overview
Izumi Kato's first UK solo institutional exhibition takes place at Charleston. Living and working between Tokyo and Hong Kong, Kato animates paintings, sculptures and installations with figures that inhabit a liminal space between the physical and spiritual realms.
Known for his vividly coloured, enigmatic creatures that are as fascinating as they are strange, Kato's works embody universal human forms that often dissolve into the amorphic.
Bringing together large and small-scale paintings, sculptures as well as an outdoor installation in the walled garden, Kato transforms Charleston's South Gallery into an imaginative realm. His intuitive approach sees pigments applied by hand onto canvas, textiles, wood and stone, shaping figures that feel deeply primal.
Gathering material from his immediate surroundings, Kato combines painting with stitching, knotting and carving – skills that he uses regularly as an avid fisherman– to create his artwork and reflect a deep engagement with texture and craft. 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.
Izumi Kato's first UK solo institutional exhibition takes place at Charleston. Living and working between Tokyo and Hong Kong, Kato animates paintings, sculptures and installations with figures that inhabit a liminal space between the physical and spiritual realms.
