Izumi Kato

The art of Kato Izumi is characterized by a series of captivating humanoid figures, their identities veiled in mystery. This recurring motif acts as an archetype revisited by Kato again and again, encapsulating “a visual anthropology of not-exactly-human-but-humanoid figuration.” These figures evoke reminiscences of Kodama, tree spirits seen in Japanese anime, bearing qualities reminiscent of fictional extra- terrestrial beings. In Kato’s work, these small figures have slender limbs without hands or feet and are frequently described as “alien-like,” “humanoid,” “expressionless,” “Sphinx-like,” “ghostly,” “primitive,” and “totemic”… They often appear in pairs, gazing out from the canvas with round, hollow eyes. Are they ancestors of humans or future-evolved humanoid forms? Their heads are typically the most developed, with faces being the most formalized with evolved palette. In some cases, their eyes are even crafted from various stones, creating reflections. These figures are connected to the tradition of pantheistic polytheism in Shintoism and the devout animism of Japan’s indigenous culture. Kato’s upbringing in Shimane Prefecture in western Japan, a coastal area renowned for its myths and legends, serving as the backdrop of Kato’s childhood, gradually becoming a significant influence on his visual language.

While many viewers are already acquainted with the mysterious humanoid figures in the artist’s portfolio, works in this exhibition reveal a recent shift: the introduction of animal figures and their significant connection to anatomy. In Kato’s previous works, animal elements often appeared in an anthropomorphic manner, but now they have evolved into independent and tangible forms, coexisting with the perennial protagonists, the humanoid figures. In some paintings, animal figures even assume dominant roles, relegating human figures to secondary positions. These works depict animals standing on or lying beneath humanoid figures, whispering to them, or swimming alongside them in the ocean. If the previous works conveyed a sense of loss through the humanoid figures’ perpetual search and solitude, it seems that they have now found companions for their journey. This intriguing role reversal depicted in the new works naturally evokes connections with the growing discourse of posthumanism and animal studies in recent years. It may signify the imagination of re-forging cross-species kinship or serve as a reflection of our reality in the post-pandemic era and global climate crises.