Wild Corporation
Mimi Kato
Detail from Wild Corporation: Daily Operation
Archival pigment print, 2018
IKL: Tell us about this detail. In the larger image from which it is pulled, both groups of women stand in front of a swiftly flowing waterfall, but only one team appears to be washing the white shirts.
Who is working for who in this image?
The posture and expression both women in this clip imply that the work is excruciating and almost intolerable. Is this a larger comment about what is commonly known as "women's work" or more a commentary about relationships between different professional ranks of women in the workforce and how they interact?
Mimi Kato on "women's work."
I feel like the lives of women are full of stigma. Women have been fighting and working hard for equal rights. All genders playing equal roles both in government and private sectors are the key to building a non-discriminatory world based on gender. At the same time, gender roles of the patriarchal system still exist by putting pressure on women not to neglect domestic work. This became very apparent in this pandemic when more women than men left their work to take care of their family. This pressure on women to function both inside and outside of home could make their judgement of others tougher. Career focused women easily dismiss stay-at-home mothers who might also feel ashamed of withdrawing from the workforce. Some mothers doubt the choices of women without children. It seems the society celebrates women who lead successful lives both inside and outside of home like they are mighty. I am not saying that the relationships of women tends to turn sour. Women help each other because they understand each other’s circumstances. I want to focus on these unreasonable expectations as they have to navigate through their lives.