The Minamata Mural

Dir. Noriaki Tsuchimoto. 1981, 111 mins. 16mm. In Japanese with English subtitles. Tsuchimoto revisits the subject of Minamata through the eyes of the husband-and-wife painting duo Iri and Toshi Maruki. He follows the Marukis from their quaint homestead studio, where they paint psychotropic mural panels depicting the effects of Minamata disease, to the streets of Minamata, where they meet and create portraits of several victims of mercury poisoning. Tsuchimoto puts Iri and Toshi’s riveting process on full display, combining exacting brushstrokes from Toshi with bouts of spontaneous ink-and-water slatherings from Iri. The Minamata Mural is a rich depiction of art-making and a mature meditation on the limits of art, featuring a wrenching strings-and-shakuhachi score from Toru Takemitsu.

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11). Order tickets. Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.