Cato invites people from his community into his studio to sit for him and be photographed. He uses streetcasters in Peckham to scout people whose images serve as the foundation for his paintings. He cuts, collages, and layers these photographs, reminiscent of Henri Matisse’s cut-out techniques, creating a dynamic rhythm in the works while also capturing expression, gesture, and a strong sense of community. His compositions often exaggerate hands and heads, emphasizing gesture and emotion, while his distinctive use of vibrant colour animates each scene. For this body of work, Cato has painted iconic London figures Jadasea and Jenn Nkiru.

“I paint what I want to see. I make these worlds for myself to live in. I’m trying to talk to my heroes… I want to be someone who kids like me can look up to. I hope some kid looks at my work and can’t sleep because he’s dreaming.” — Cato

In this series, Cato adds greater narrative detail to his characters. One painting depicts an artist in his studio, surrounded by paint, brushes, and canvases, with works pinned to the walls that reference Cubism. A camera and a Picasso book rest on a table, while the back of one canvas bears the signature ‘Cato ’25’. The scene also includes an elder figure seated in a chair, with a female figure beside him — perhaps a vision of the future he imagines, both personally and creatively.

Another work shows three stylish Black women in a hair salon, their poses echoing a Ronettes poster on the wall. Through these vignettes, he blends real-life observation with imaginative storytelling, creating rich, intimate portraits of Black life. His subjects are treated with a Warholian attention, giving them a light and visibility rarely portrayed in contemporary painting. Cato’s practice pieces together imagined family histories, blending studio portraits with found family photographs of distant relatives, creating connections across time and diaspora.