HIRO A - Black Sumo 2017

Technique: Resin, painted and varnished

Edition: limited edition of 8

Dimensions: 120 x 130 x 80 cm

Weight: 100kg 

Certificate: provided and engraved signature

Information: Japanese artist Hiro blends tradition and contemporary culture in his playful, collectible sculptures. His limited-edition figures—SumoCat, Samurai Cat, UrbanCat, and RobotCat—evoke enlarged toy-like cartoon characters, often monochrome and glossy, with some adorned in rhinestones or hand-painted.

Drawing inspiration from maneki-neko, the iconic “beckoning cat” symbol of good luck, and referencing pop-culture figures like Hello Kitty, Hiro’s work embodies a lighter side of neo-pop. His sculptures challenge the hierarchy between art and popular culture, showing that fun, accessible imagery can coexist with contemporary art without the darkness or eroticism common in neo-pop.

— Makiko Whole, Publications Coordinator, The Museum of Modern Art, New York