We were saddened to learn that Kimiko Nishimoto, known for absurdist self-portraits, passed away on June 9, 2025. She was 97. Nishimoto’s creative journey began, unexpectedly, at the age of 72 when she decided to take a photography class. She immediately fell in love with the medium and began taking humorous, comical and sometimes surreal self-portraits.
10 years later, at the age of 82, she was given her first solo exhibition at a local Museum in Kumamoto, where she lives. Her passion for photography and humor proved contagious, and she soon became an internet star. Nishimoto took pride in her art, and committed to taking all her own pictures using a tripod and timer. All the digital enhancements and alterations are also done by Nishimoto herself.
“My mother always enjoyed creating with a smile. With the desire to bring laughter and joy to many people, she produced numerous works,” wrote her daughter in an Instagram post.
Nishimoto’s works will live on. And so too will her spirit, which inspired and taught us that it’s never too late to begin something.
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