Izumi Kato's solo exhibition "LIKE A ROLLING SNOWBALL" at Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo

Izumi Kato, a world-renowned Japanese artist based in Tokyo and Hong Kong, is currently holding solo exhibitions at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Shinagawa, Tokyo and the Hara Museum ARC in Gunma Prefecture.

Hara Museum of Contemporary Art ARC presents a comprehensive overview of Kato's work Hara Museum of Contemporary Art will exhibit 69 of her latest works. LIKE A ROLLING SNOWBALL" exhibition at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, which is Kato's first major solo exhibition at a museum in Tokyo. And the point of this exhibition at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art is to give you a chance to catch his latest taste and unique development. Atmosphere of the museum His recent works vary from stone to cloth Printmaking.

Kato is known for his depiction of primitive and mysterious human figures in paintings and sculptures. His works are reminiscent of totems. If you look closely at Kato's work, you will see that he is always in search of the counterpart; his human sculptures are always of a man and a woman, and his paintings are also composed in such a way that two separate works become one. The paintings are also composed in such a way that two separate works become one. As for the sculptures made of stone, cotton and soft vinyl, the head and body are made of completely different materials, stone, soft vinyl and cotton, but in a way they seem to pair two different attributes, lightness and weight. In many ways, the pursuit of pairing seems to be a ritualistic one.

There are a number of distinctive works on display at the museum. Untitled," on display in Gallery I, is the latest work by Kato, who has been experimenting with huge installation works using various materials such as cloth, leather, stone, and aluminum. Other works were also well displayed, in keeping with the characteristics of the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art location. In the garden of the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, two works entitled "Untitled" were installed, both based on the theme of encounters with nature. The works installed in the garden are designed to be visible from inside the museum.

Location of the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art

When you visit the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, you may be soothed by its unique and exotic atmosphere, which is rare in Tokyo. One of the oldest contemporary art museums in Japan, the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art is located in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, in a garden surrounded by palm trees. The building was constructed in 1938 as the private residence of Kunizo Hara, the grandfather of Toshio Hara, the current president of the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art. It was designed by renowned architect Hitoshi Watanabe, who also designed the main building of the Tokyo National Museum.

After the war, the building was used by the Philippine and Sri Lankan embassies before becoming an art museum in 1979, and after a major renovation in 2008, a new lighting system was installed and repairs were made.

As one of the first modern art museums in Japan It is one of the few examples of early Showa period architecture that incorporates European architectural styles of ^the early 20th century. [1]

However, due to the difficulties in maintaining the museum after almost 80 years, the foundation has decided to close the museum on December 31, 2020, and the Hara Museum ARC will become the venue for all activities. Before the museum with its unique atmosphere disappears, why not take the opportunity to see Izumi Kato's latest works?

IZUMI KATO - LIKE A ROLLING SNOWBALL Organized by: Hara Museum of Contemporary Art Special cooperation provided by: Perrotin

• Dates: August 10, 2019 (Sat) - January 13, 2020 (Mon)
• Hours: 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., until 8:00 p.m. on Wednesdays (last entry 30 minutes before closing)
• Closed: Mondays (except Aug. 12, Sep. 16, 23, Oct. 14, Nov. 4, and Jan. 13, 2020), Aug. 13, Sep. 17, 24, Oct. 15, Nov. 5, year-end and New Year holidays.
• Entrance fee. General admission 1,100 yen, students 700 yen (high school and university) or 500 yen (elementary and junior high school), over 70 years old 550 yen, Hara Museum members, students - high school students free every Saturday during the term, groups of 20 or more receive a 100 yen discount.

Article written by: Jeongeun Jo
Born in Korea, lives in Japan. One of the members of TRiCERA, she graduated from the Graduate School of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts. She is also an artist herself.

[1] Press Release, Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, (The Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, 2019).