Living a Feminist Artist Life: Collective Identity and Subversive Creative Labor of Mako Idemitsu’s Videos

This paper investigates the politics of feminist art practices through the lens of Mako Idemitsu’s career and artworks. As a pioneering video artist, Idemitsu has consistently demonstrated her commitment to feminist movements, challenging prevailing societal norms and gender expectations since the 1970s. This study addresses the question: How do Idemitsu’s video artworks engage with and critique the constraints imposed upon female artists by societal and institutional norms? The analysis centers on two key artworks, Kiyoko’s Situation (1989) and Kae, Act Like A Girl! (1996), with a focus on themes of domestic labor. These pieces not only depict the struggle to balance artistic pursuits with domestic responsibilities but also provide critical insights into the naturalization of gender roles and hierarchies within the art system. By examining Idemitsu’s work, this paper highlights the subversive potential of feminist art in challenging and reshaping institutional narratives. The article engages with a theoretical framework that integrates concepts of collective identity, social reproduction theory, and institutional critique to argue that Idemitsu’s approach creates a space for sustained political engagement and resistance to complicity in capitalist structures. Building on social reproduction and feminist thoughts, it proposes a form of artistic labor as “subversive creative labor,” involving a double critique that emphasizes social reproductive labor and art as reproductive institutions. This approach allows artists to challenge the art system and demand more resources from the institution without compromising their radicalness to institutional inclusiveness. In light of the backlash against feminism following the introduction of the “Basic Act for a Gender- Equal Society” in Japan in 1999, the recent resurgence of feminist art exhibitions illustrates the evolving dynamics within contemporary Japanese art. Idemitsu’s integration of personal experiences with broader feminist movements, especially within the realm of video art, enriches her artistic narrative, making her work a vital study of resistance against patriarchal and capitalist pressures. This essay argues that by actively forging a collective identity, Idemitsu deepens her understanding of herself and others, sharing experiences that culminate in politically motivated art practices. Furthermore, this paper contributes to the de-Westernization of women's art history and criticism, highlighting the importance of diverse feminist perspectives in contemporary discourse.