The group exhibition "Women on Fire" is currently on view at Sokyo, a gallery in Higashiyama, Kyoto. Dedicated to female artists, the exhibition presents a diverse range of works—highlighting both established names in contemporary art and overlooked talents. Featured artists include Chiharu Shiota, Sylvie Aubrey, Toko Shinoda, Aika Tsumori, Kimiyo Mishima, Annette Messager, Miriam Mechita, Christine Morgin, Pae White, and MeiMei.
Despite societal constraints, these artists have continuously challenged norms with energy, innovation, and distinct perspectives. In Japan, female artists face greater barriers compared to those in other developed nations due to gender inequality, making this exhibition particularly significant in acknowledging their struggles and triumphs.
Additionally, "Women on Fire" supports EJAAD, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and empowering young Afghan women. Alongside preserving traditional Afghan crafts such as embroidery, EJAAD aims to create opportunities for the next generation of women to thrive.
Featured Artists
Toko Shinoda (1913-2021)
Born in Manchuria in 1913, Toko Shinoda was a pioneering artist who lived independently in a conservative era when women rarely had such autonomy. Taught calligraphy by her father at the age of five, she became an independent calligrapher at 23, though her original characters were not widely accepted at the time.
In 1956, Shinoda moved to the United States, where she was influenced by Abstract Expressionism. She developed "abstract ink painting," breaking away from traditional calligraphy. With minimalist colors and fluid, expressive lines, her ink paintings captured emotions and movement, continuing to captivate audiences today.
Kimiyo Mishima (1932-2024)
Born in Osaka in 1932, Kimiyo Mishima was drawn to science and nature from an early age, preferring to observe insects under a microscope rather than playing with dolls. She once told her mother she could create a human in a flask, but her ambitions were dismissed, and she was instead forced into an arranged marriage.
Defying expectations, she studied under Shigeji Mishima, who later became her husband, and began working with experimental collage. Using discarded newspapers, magazines, and horse racing tickets, she explored themes of consumerism and mass production. By the late 1960s, she transitioned to ceramic art, creating works that critique the information overload and waste culture of modern society.
After her husband’s death in 1985, Mishima pursued an art scholarship in New York, where she engaged with Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Though often compared to Pop Art, Mishima insisted her work stood apart, reflecting her fierce independence. Her hyperrealistic ceramic "trash" sculptures, created using silkscreen transfers, blur the line between reality and art, blending humor with a sharp critique of time’s impermanence.
Christine Morgin (b. 1968)
Christine Morgin, based in Los Angeles, is known for working with unfired clay, a unique approach that preserves the fragility of the material. Her works often feature objects tied to personal and collective nostalgia, such as picture books, vintage toys, and pop culture icons like Donald Duck and Yoda.
By manipulating paint, ink, graphite, and markers, Morgin creates aged and weathered textures, evoking a sense of memory and imperfection. Among the works on display is Be A Good Little Pirate (Cassette)—a ceramic mixtape inspired by music gifted to her by a former partner—and a piece from her Untitled (Playing Cards) series, featuring a queen card motif.
Miriam Mechita (b. 1974)
Born in Strasbourg, France, Miriam Mechita is a sculptor known for her enigmatic and surreal forms. Having worked in Berlin for two decades, she currently teaches practical art education at the School of Fine Arts in Caen, Normandy.
Her sculptures frequently depict animals—dogs, deer, antelopes, rabbits, and birds—stripped of certain features like eyes, ears, or mouths, drawing viewers into an eerie and dreamlike space. In this exhibition, she presents "Firebirds," a series of colorful yet eyeless birds, creating an unsettling contrast between beauty and emptiness.
Pae White (b. 1963)
Pae White, based in Los Angeles, is a multidisciplinary artist whose work merges art, design, craftsmanship, and architecture. Drawing inspiration from figures like Alexander Calder and Sister Corita, she creates ephemeral objects and installations using everyday materials.
For this exhibition, she presents Companion, a gold-glazed porcelain sculpture inspired by popcorn, encouraging viewers to reconsider the overlooked beauty of ordinary objects. Through her work, White prompts reflection on the form and function of familiar things.
Annette Messager (b. 1943)
A fearless artist who rejects authority and embraces cultural diversity, Annette Messager was born in France in 1943 and has been creating art since the 1970s. Using fabric, embroidery, thread, and knitting, she constructs works that challenge traditional perceptions of femininity and domesticity.
Her piece La Lune-crayon (Pencil Moon), featured in this exhibition, showcases black fabric gloves with protruding colored pencils. Contrasting the poetic symbolism of the moon with the brutality and contradictions of human nature, Messager’s work offers a sharp yet whimsical social critique.
"Women on Fire"
Location: Sokyo, 381-2 Motomachi, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan
Dates: Now through February 22, 2025
Hours: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Closed: Sundays and Mondays
With its diverse lineup of artists and powerful themes, "Women on Fire" is a compelling exploration of female expression, resilience, and artistic innovation. The exhibition not only honors both established and emerging women artists but also amplifies their voices in a world where they have long been overlooked.
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