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SMoA Collection –Women Artists−
Shiga Museum of Art
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This season’s SMoA Collection delves into our collection to shine a spotlight on works by women artists.
In recent years, the recognition and rectification of gender imbalances has become a major issue in Japanese art world. Behind this trend lies the decision by Aichi Triennale 2019 to set a roughly 50/50 gender-balance among participating artists. Then, in August 2022, the research group Investigation Team for Arts released Gender Balance White Paper 2022, a document based on meticulous research.
So how does Shiga Museum of Art fare in this respect?
As of March 2024, women accounted for 67 of the 499 artists represented in our collection, a ratio of approximately 13.4%. The 2020 Population Census of Japan revealed that Japan had a gender ratio of 94.7 (94.7 men to every 100 women). The fact women outnumber men in Japan makes our 13.4% figure seem even more paltry. According to an analysis conducted in 2019, the proportion of women artists ranged from 12% to 22% at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and the National Museum of Art, Osaka, four institutions with some of the largest art collections in Japan. These percentages are similar to our museum’s figure, with these statistics revealing a situation common to all Japan’s art museums*.
However, our museum also houses Japan’s largest collection of works (including items on long-term loan) by Ogura Yuki and Shimura Fukumi, two prominent women artists. Therefore, the number of works, including those in the collection, is 639 out of 2,790, or about 23%, which is a slight increase. It is also worth noting that since our very inception, we have worked tirelessly to stage solo exhibitions by women artists. For example, of the seven solo shows held since our reopening in 2021, four have focused on women artists, including exhibitions featuring Tomoto Shisuko in 2022, Kawauchi Rinko in 2023, Ogura Yuki in 2023, and Shimura Fukumi in 2024. Preparations are also underway to stage a solo exhibition by Sasaoka Yuriko next year.
This is all well and good, but the case remains that our collection has an undeniable bias towards man artists, as mentioned above. This probably mirrors conditions in the art universities, and the art markets, not to mention the wider society in which these institutions operate. This does not justify the situation at our museum, though. One major task of art is to cast a critical gaze over customs, fashions and those things we consider common sense. Given this premise, it seems the current situation at art museums also requires some deep reflection.
With there being so many different ways of thinking about gender nowadays, some may criticize this exhibition’s Women Artists title for implying there are only two biological sexes. However, we believed it was important, first of all, to share some basic information with everyone who visits and supports our museum. In 2021, we added “works that represent diversity in the arts and culture” to our collection policy. From here on, we will continue striving earnestly to live up to these words. We hope you enjoy this exhibition and we look forward to receiving any opinions, etc. you may wish to share with us.
In recent years, the recognition and rectification of gender imbalances has become a major issue in Japanese art world. Behind this trend lies the decision by Aichi Triennale 2019 to set a roughly 50/50 gender-balance among participating artists. Then, in August 2022, the research group Investigation Team for Arts released Gender Balance White Paper 2022, a document based on meticulous research.
So how does Shiga Museum of Art fare in this respect?
As of March 2024, women accounted for 67 of the 499 artists represented in our collection, a ratio of approximately 13.4%. The 2020 Population Census of Japan revealed that Japan had a gender ratio of 94.7 (94.7 men to every 100 women). The fact women outnumber men in Japan makes our 13.4% figure seem even more paltry. According to an analysis conducted in 2019, the proportion of women artists ranged from 12% to 22% at the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo Photographic Art Museum, the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, and the National Museum of Art, Osaka, four institutions with some of the largest art collections in Japan. These percentages are similar to our museum’s figure, with these statistics revealing a situation common to all Japan’s art museums*.
However, our museum also houses Japan’s largest collection of works (including items on long-term loan) by Ogura Yuki and Shimura Fukumi, two prominent women artists. Therefore, the number of works, including those in the collection, is 639 out of 2,790, or about 23%, which is a slight increase. It is also worth noting that since our very inception, we have worked tirelessly to stage solo exhibitions by women artists. For example, of the seven solo shows held since our reopening in 2021, four have focused on women artists, including exhibitions featuring Tomoto Shisuko in 2022, Kawauchi Rinko in 2023, Ogura Yuki in 2023, and Shimura Fukumi in 2024. Preparations are also underway to stage a solo exhibition by Sasaoka Yuriko next year.
This is all well and good, but the case remains that our collection has an undeniable bias towards man artists, as mentioned above. This probably mirrors conditions in the art universities, and the art markets, not to mention the wider society in which these institutions operate. This does not justify the situation at our museum, though. One major task of art is to cast a critical gaze over customs, fashions and those things we consider common sense. Given this premise, it seems the current situation at art museums also requires some deep reflection.
With there being so many different ways of thinking about gender nowadays, some may criticize this exhibition’s Women Artists title for implying there are only two biological sexes. However, we believed it was important, first of all, to share some basic information with everyone who visits and supports our museum. In 2021, we added “works that represent diversity in the arts and culture” to our collection policy. From here on, we will continue striving earnestly to live up to these words. We hope you enjoy this exhibition and we look forward to receiving any opinions, etc. you may wish to share with us.
Schedule | Oct 5 (Sat) 2024-Dec 8 (Sun) 2024 Opening Hours Information
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| Fee | Adults ¥540; University and High School Students ¥340; Junior High School Students and Under, Seniors 65 & Over residing in Shiga, Persons with Disability Certificates free. | ||||
| Website | https://www.shigamuseum.jp/en/exhibitions/9170/ | ||||
| Venue | Shiga Museum of Art | ||||
| Location | 1740-1 Setaminamiogayacho, Otsu-shi, Shiga 520-2122 | ||||
| Access | From the South exit of Seta Station on the JR Biwako line, take the Teisan bus or Ohmi Railway Bus towards Shigaidai or Daigaku-Byoin and get off at Bunka Zone-mae. The venue is 5 minute walk from there. | ||||
| Phone | 077-543-2111 | ||||
| Related images | Click on the image to enlarge it  |
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