From July 4 to August 26, Hikarie Hall in Shibuya invites you to reconsider the history of Japanese photography through the eyes of women artists. Presented in Japan in an expanded form following an acclaimed international tour, ‘I’m So Happy You Are Here’ brings together around 200 works by approximately 30 photographers spanning more than seven decades.
Through works ranging from post-war documentary photography to contemporary experiments with installation, collage, video and photobooks, the exhibition offers a vital counter-narrative to a photographic canon long dominated by male figures. It reveals how Japanese women photographers have consistently challenged social norms, explored identity and memory, and expanded the definition of the medium. Delicate observations of everyday life sit alongside incisive critiques of gender roles and bold formal innovation, creating a richly layered portrait of both personal and collective experience.
Featuring internationally celebrated figures such as Miyako Ishiuchi, Mao Ishikawa, Rinko Kawauchi, Tomoko Sawada and Lieko Shiga, alongside artists whose contributions have received less public recognition, the exhibition emphasises intergenerational dialogue and continuity. Curated by Mariko Takeuchi with Lesley A Martin and Pauline Vermare, the show invites audiences to rethink Japanese photographic history – and photo history at large – through a more inclusive, expansive lens.
