The exhibition "Izumi Kato - LIKE A ROLLING SNOWBALL" is being held at The Hara Museum (Shinagawa, Tokyo) and its annex, Hara Museum ARC (Shibukawa, Gunma). The Hara Museum will showcase approximately 30 of his latest works, while Hara Museum ARC will display around 100 pieces, ranging from his early works to more recent creations. This exhibition traces the trajectory of Izumi Kato's creative journey over approximately 25 years.

Izumi Kato, known for his mysterious and powerful figurative expressions reminiscent of primitive art, began presenting paintings in the mid-1990s. In the 2000s, he also started working with wood sculpture. His international acclaim grew significantly after his invitation to the 2007 Venice Biennale, expanding his artistic reach across Japan, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. In recent years, he has developed dynamic installations using diverse materials such as soft vinyl, stone, and fabric, while also engaging in new printmaking endeavors, all of which have garnered considerable attention.

The "Izumi Kato - LIKE A ROLLING SNOWBALL" exhibition marks his first large-scale solo exhibition at The Hara Museum in Tokyo. At The Hara Museum, approximately 30 new paintings and sculptures will be displayed in an intimate setting within a building originally constructed as a private residence. Meanwhile, at the Hara Museum ARC in Gunma, an overwhelming scale of around 100 works, including early and recent pieces as well as previously unreleased works from the artist's private collection, will offer a retrospective of his career. The human-like motifs appearing in Kato's works were already present in his mid-1990s pieces. This exhibition at the open and symmetrical space of Hara Museum ARC allows visitors to trace the evolution of these motifs as they expanded in breadth of material and technique, exploring the process of variation.

This exhibition, presenting Izumi Kato's early to latest works simultaneously across both institutions with their distinct exhibition spaces in Tokyo and Gunma, offers a comprehensive look at his artistic vision and serves as an opportunity to re-examine his oeuvre and discover new facets of his work.

Izumi Kato - LIKE A ROLLING SNOWBALL

Venues | The Hara Museum, Hara Museum ARC
Address | The Hara Museum: 4-7-25 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
Hara Museum ARC: 2855-1 Kanai, Shibukawa-shi, Gunma
Dates | The Hara Museum: August 10, 2019 (Sat) - January 13, 2020 (Mon, Holiday)
Hara Museum ARC: July 13, 2019 (Sat) - January 13, 2020 (Mon, Holiday)
Hours | The Hara Museum: 11:00 - 17:00 (Wednesdays until 20:00, except holidays; last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Hara Museum ARC: 9:30 - 16:30 (last admission 16:00)
Closed | The Hara Museum: Mondays (except August 12, September 16, 23, October 14, November 4, 2019, and January 13, 2020), August 13, September 17, 24, October 15, November 5, 2019, and New Year holidays
Hara Museum ARC: Thursdays (open daily in August, except January 2, 2020), January 1, 2020
Organizer | The Hara Museum
Cooperation | Perrotin

*Details of top image: "Untitled" Wood, acrylic paint, charcoal 205 x 56 x 52 cm 2004 Collection of Ryutaro Takahashi Photo: Tsuyoshi Saito ©2004 Izumi Kato