Izumi Kato presents here a diversity of forms and techniques that testify to the complexification of the supernatural pantheon that he has been developing for almost two decades. A world that viewers may have come to know, but whose enigma remains intact. Marked by diversity, this latest generation—his creatures appear to be so embodied that it is impossible to speak of a series—may surprise viewers by seeming to be more alive than ever. Nevertheless, the ethologist will still have as much difficulty identifying and analyzing their motivations and behavior because, true to themselves, they are only putting in an appearance, like apparitions.

With his installation showcasing sculptures as precious sacred talismans, and calligraphic paintings as icons, Othoniel recreates an enclosed forbidden garden of chrysanthemums, a dreamworld he named Yumeji in Japanese. The word bears a dual meaning: “to dream” and “to meet someone you love in your dreams,” as it appears in ancient Japanese poems (waka), published in the historical collections Kokin Wakashu and Gosen Wakashu, in the 900s AD.