Untitled

A monumental, colourful character stands in Place Saint-Vincent-de-Paul. 

This mute giant seems foreign to this environment, appearing between the trees whose vegetation it imitates like a form of camouflage. 

Remember that the choice to represent humanoids is above all, for Izumi Kato, a pretext to paint; the colours express themselves on this character, much more than his stoic attitude which would almost transform him into a totem. It’s also reminiscent of the creations of traditional arts, its appearance reminiscent of a genie more than a human, its enigmatic presence imposing itself on us. 

"It's up to the viewer to decide whether they have a soul or not", says the artist about the figures he paints and sculpts. 

A wasp with outstretched wings hides and reveals the sex of the subject. Aggressive, or friend? The answer is left to everyone's imagination, as is the origin or history of this character, who doesn’t even have a name. 

"Located on the beautiful Place Saint-Vincent, this enormous sculpture adapts and hides among the trees whose colours vary according to the seasons. The model of this monument is the representation of a human figure and a wooden bee. The model is then enlarged

into a bronze sculpture 7 metres high whose surface is decorated with an original painting inspired by this specific place. The idea for this work came from my current series which combines wooden sculptures of human figures with plastic toys representing insects. This monument features a play of scale and pattern, while the bee adds a sense of humour to the viewer's imagination. »

Untitled is the largest sculpture ever made by Izumi Kato.