Idemitsu Mako　What a Woman Made

Jun. 18 — Sep. 21, 2026

• Period: Jun. 18 - Sep. 21, 2026
• Closed: Mondays (except when Monday falls on a holiday, in which case the museum is open and closed the following day)
• Admission: Adults ￥700(560)／College Students ￥560(440)／High School Students, Over 65 ￥350(280) *Prices in parenthesis apply to groups of 20 or more. (Reservation is required.) *Free for junior high school students or younger, and holders of Japan’s disability identification cards (shogaisha techo) together with two caregiver. *Those over 65 years old receive free admission on the third Wednesday of every month by presenting proof of age at the ticket counter.

Idemitsu Mako (b. 1940) is a pioneering artist in the fields of experimental film and video art in Japan. She began creating art after spending time in the United States in the 1960s, producing works using film and early video that explored themes such as women’s lives, family, and the relationship between media and society. In particular, her video works from the 1970s onwards incorporate the narrative techniques of television melodramas to depict themes such as mother-child relationships, marital dynamics, and women’s social roles from a unique perspective. In recent years, amid growing international discourse on gender and the body, her practice has garnered renewed attention.

This exhibition is a large-scale retrospective that surveys the full scope of Idemitsu’s artistic practice, including works that are being shown to the public for the first time since their acquisition. This comprehensive showcase presents the museum’s entire collection of her works through both the exhibition and film screenings.

※The title of this exhibition, “What a Woman Made,” is taken from the title of video artist Idemitsu Mako’s first video work from 1973, which established her reputation. 

Idemitsu Mako
Born in 1940 as the fourth daughter of Idemitsu Sazo, founder of Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. She attended the elementary, junior high, and high schools affiliated with Ochanomizu University before enrolling in the First Faculty of Letters at Waseda University. After graduating, she studied abroad in New York and married the abstract painter Sam Francis. She is the mother of two children. Driven by an irresistible desire for creative expression that transcended her roles as wife and mother, Idemitsu embarked on a career as a filmmaker. Drawing on her own experiences and grounded in feminism, she continues to explore themes such as the parent-child relationship within the family and the social resistance and opposition that women face as artists.
Her publications include What a Woman Made: The Autobiography of a Filmmaker and Video Artist (Iwanami Shoten, 2003) and White Elephant (Fuunsha, 2011).


Idemitsu Mako, Woman’s House, 1972, Collection of Tokyo Photographic Art Museum ©Mako Idemitsu


Idemitsu Mako, What a Woman Made, 1973, Collection of Tokyo Photographic Art Museum ©Mako Idemitsu


Idemitsu Mako, At Santa Monica 3, 1975, Collection of Tokyo Photographic Art Museum ©Mako Idemitsu


Idemitsu Mako, Another Day of a Housewife, 1977, Collection of Tokyo Photographic Art Museum ©Mako Idemitsu


Idemitsu Mako, Kiyoko’s Situation, 1989, Collection of Tokyo Photographic Art Museum ©Mako Idemitsu


Idemitsu Mako, Kae, Act Like a Girl!, 1996, Collection of Tokyo Photographic Art Museum ©Mako Idemitsu

*The schedule is subject to change. Any further changes will be announced.

Events

Screenings

We will screen 40 works by Idemitsu Mako across 9 programs.
Screening Dates | June 18 (Thu) – 20 (Sat), July 9 (Thu) – 12 (Sun), August 27 (Thu) – 30 (Sun),
September 17 (Thu) – 20 (Sun)
Admission (per program) | General/Seniors: 500 yen; Students and high school students and younger: Free
*Holders of tickets for the main exhibition may view one program for 400 yen upon presentation of one ticket (limited to one use per ticket).
Venue | 1st Floor Hall, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
Capacity | 190 people
The screening schedule and program details will be announced on the official website as soon as they are finalized.

Guest Talks (Japanese only)

Saturday, June 20, 4:00 PM – Kasahara Michiko (Photography Critic, Director of the Nagano Prefectural Art Museum) × Kokatsu Reiko (Art History, Art Criticism)
Saturday, July 11, 4:00 PM – Saito Ayako (Film Scholar) × Kanno Yuka (Film Scholar, Professor at Doshisha University Graduate School)
Saturday, September 19, 4:00 PM – Yuzuki Asako (Novelist) × Ito Haruna (Editor, Writer)
Venue | 1st Floor Hall, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum
Capacity | 190 people
Admission | Free
*Sign language interpretation and text display support provided
Numbered tickets will be distributed at the main reception desk on the 1st floor starting at 10:00 AM on the day of the event.