This May, Tokyo’s art scene will witness a powerful exploration of gender, autonomy and resistance as apexart presents “In the beginning, Womankind was the sun – Weren’t we?” Curated by Layla Yamamoto, the exhibition brings together works by three groundbreaking Japanese women artists—Yoshiko Shimada, Layla Yamamoto and Namae Myoji—to interrogate the historical and ongoing control over women’s bodies and sexualities in Japan.
The exhibition’s title draws inspiration from Raicho Hiratsuka, a pioneering Japanese feminist activist who, in her 1911 essay for Seito (Bluestocking), likened women’s oppression to the moon and their potential liberation to the sun. Over a century later, Japan continues to grapple with systemic gender inequality, ranking 118th out of 146 countries in the 2024 Gender Gap Index. Recent controversies, such as a politician’s suggestion that women over 30 undergo hysterectomies to pressure younger women into childbirth, underscore the urgency of the exhibition’s themes.
“Have Japanese women ever truly been independent? And if not, how might they achieve liberation akin to the sun?” asks Yamamoto, who is also one of the featured artists. Through a combination of historical critique and speculative futures, the exhibition challenges patriarchal narratives and imagines a society where women are no longer confined to the subordinate role of the moon.
Yoshiko Shimada’s “A Balloon Bomb・Rising Sun” (1993), a striking print work, sets the tone for the exhibition. Shimada’s art often confronts Japan’s wartime history and its lingering impact on gender dynamics. Layla Yamamoto’s pieces delve into Japan’s sociopolitical landscape, offering feminist and postcolonial reinterpretations of anime, manga, and nuclear power history. Namae Myoji’s contributions add a speculative dimension, envisioning futures where women’s autonomy is fully realized.
The exhibition, hosted at KOTARO NUKAGA Three in the TERRADA Art Complex, will run from May 17 to June 14, 2025, with an opening reception on May 17 from 4 to 6pm. Visitors can expect a thought-provoking journey through art that not only critiques the past but also dares to imagine a brighter, more equitable future.
“In the beginning, Womankind was the sun – Weren’t we?” was selected through apexart’s Open Call programme, which supports innovative and socially engaged art projects. The exhibition is part of apexart’s ongoing mission to foster dialogue and challenge conventional narratives through contemporary art.
For more information, visit apexart’s website https://apexart.org/yamamoto.php.
Layla Yamamoto is a Tokyo-based contemporary artist whose work explores feminist and postcolonial perspectives on Japan’s sociopolitical history.
Yoshiko Shimada is renowned for her critical engagement with Japan’s wartime legacy and its impact on gender and society.
Namae Myoji is a rising star in the Japanese art scene, known for her speculative and futuristic explorations of gender and autonomy.
apexart is a non-profit arts organization based in New York City, dedicated to supporting innovative and thought-provoking contemporary art projects worldwide.
•Featured image: Yoshiko Shimada, A Balloon Bomb・Rising Sun, Print work, 90 x 60 cm, 1993
