CURRENT OFFERING: RYO KATO

Release 02/06/2026

Ryo Kato is an emerging Japanese painter, born in 1978 in Nimi, Okayama Prefecture. He currently lives and works in Berlin.

Between 1995 and 1998, he studied drawing and painting at his high school and private art schools in Okayama. After graduating, he spent 9 months in Paris before relocating to Berlin at the age of 19.

In 2001, he began studying at the Berlin University of the Arts, initially in Wolfgang Petrick's class. In 2005, he joined Daniel Richter's class as a master student and completed his studies in 2006.

During his studies, Kato held his first exhibitions in Germany. In 2010, he participated in an art fair for the first time, presenting a solo show at Art Karlsruhe.

His career gained further recognition in 2012 when he was awarded first place in the prestigious Ishi Prize in Japan. The following year, one of his works was included in the collection of the Okayama Prefectural Museum, which later acquired another piece in 2015. His works are now part of four museum collections: the Okayama Prefectural Museum, Niimi Museum, Ebene Kunst Museum, and Museum Obentraut3.

In 2021, he received the "Initial" special scholarship from the Berlin Academy of Arts, followed by the "NEUSTART KULTUR" scholarship from the KUNSTFONDS Foundation in 2022.

Kato‘s artistic style seamlessly merges figurative and abstract elements, with subtle realistic motifs emerging through his masterful use of color blending and scraping techniques. A traditionally trained Go player, Kato approaches the canvas with strategic precision, deconstructing  figuration into organic and geometric forms that evoke the entropy and fragmentation of nature.

From early on, Kato’s work addresses environmental issues, a theme that resonates deeply with many and has garnered significant attention from the press and media. He describes his work as a journey of exploration, characterized by vivid colors, constant movements, and the potential for new discoveries, reflecting his commitment to both artistic expression and environmental awareness.

Kato’s work has been widely exhibited in recent years across galleries, art fairs, Kunstvereine (art associations), and museums, with several solo exhibitions scheduled for 2026 and 2027.

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Selected Solo Shows:

·   2026 & Upcoming

Orangerie Putbus, Putbus, Germany – 2027 (date not yet confirmed)

Kunstverein Aichach, Aichach, Germany –  2027 (date not yet confirmed)

Kunstverein Darmstädter Sezession, Darmstadt, Germany – December 2027

Kunstverein Shopfheim, Shopfheim, Germany – April 2027

Swann Art Gallery, Turin, Italy – (March 20-May 1, 2027)

Kunstkreis Hameln, Hameln, Germany – November 2026

“The Future of the World”, Nariwa Museum, Takahashi City, Japan – (July 4-August 30, 2026)

Ilsenburg National Park Visitor Centre, Ilsenburg, Germany – (June 13-September 12, 2026)

“New Faith”, Galerie Sara Lily Perez, Berlin, Germany – (April 24-May 30, 2026)

·   2025

“Nouvelle Vague”, Galerie Hoang Beli, Paris, France

“Between the Lines”, Stadtmuseum Schopfheim, Germany

“Make the World Great Again”, Galerie Falkenberg, Hanover, Germany

“Art River”, Fuchu Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan

“The Sound of Nature”, Kultur am See Bad Saarow Gallery, Bad Saarow, Germany

“Back to Nature”, Kunstverein Kunst Freunde Pritzwalk, Pritzwalk, Germany

·   2024

“Art for the New Age”, Kato Art Collective (KAC), Tokyo, Japan

"The Decisive Point", Kunstverein Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany

"Faith and Environment", Güstrow Gallery, Güstrow, Germany

"The Monsters We Create", bskunst.de alternativer Kunstverein, Braunschweig, Germany

"Shortly Before Twelve", Galerie Art Affair, Regensburg, Germany

"Fire and water", Kunstverein Brühl, Brühl, Germany

·   2023

"A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing", Galerie Bengelsträter, Düsseldorf, Germany

·   2022

“A Hot Day”, Landford Gallery, Cologne, Germany

"Colors of Destruction" Kunstverein Heinsberg, Heinsberg, Germany

"Turning Point", Kunstverein Hockenheim, Hockenheim, Germany

“Time out", Gallery of the Volksbank (Kunstförderverein Weinheim), Weinheim, Germany

·   2021

"The Limit of Ignorance", Galerie Bengelsträter, Düsseldorf, Germany

"A Short Break for Nature", Galerie Palais Walderdorff , Trier, Germany

·   2020

“The Disaster as an Opportunity”, Parktheater Iserlohn, Iserlohn, Germany

·   2019

“Cry of Green", Nariwa Museum of Art, Okayama, Japan

“Fairytale Hour for Adults”, Neuer Kunstverein Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

"Limit", Gallery TS4312, Tokyo, Japan

Selected Group Shows:

·   2026

“Art Karlsruhe 2026, Art Fair”, Galerie Bengelsträter, Karlsruhe, Germany

·   2025

“Art Karlsruhe 2025, Art Fair”, Galerie Art Affair, Karlsruhe, Germany

·   2024

“Art Karlsruhe 2024, Art Fair”, Galerie Bengelsträter, Karlsruhe, Germany

“FO You: Voluntary Art Liaison”, Berlin, Germany

·   2023

"Art Market Budapest, Art Fair”, Galerie Art Affair, Budapest, Hungary

 "Art Karlsruhe, Art Fair”, Galerie Bengelsträter, Karlsruhe, Germany

·   2022

“SCOPE Miami Beach, Art Fair”, Landford Gallery, Miami, USA

"Fo you", Marienburg, Berlin, Germany

“Art Karlsruhe, Art Fair”, Galerie Bengelsträter, Karlsruhe, Germany

“Discovery Art Fair”, Galerie Bengelsträter, Frankfurt, Germany

·   2021

“….Mixing to Create Something New”, Kunstverein Bad Salzdetfurth e.V., Bodenburg, Germany

“Discovery Art Fair”, Galerie Bengelsträter, Frankfurt, Germany

“Contemporary Art Ruhr, Art Fair”, Galerie Bengelsträter, Essen, Germany

"20 Years of the Gallery for New Art”, Galerie Falkenberg, Hannover, Germany

·   2020

“Contemporary Art Ruhr, Art Fair”, Galerie Bengelsträter, Essen, Germany

“Discovery Art Fair”, Galerie Bengelsträter, Frankfurt, Germany

"Art Karlsruhe, Art Fair”, Galerie Bengelsträter, Karlsruhe, Germany

·   2019

“Discovery Art Fair”, Galerie Bengelsträter, Frankfurt, Germany