Reflection + Research - Shiota

Chiharu Shiota

-Japanese installation artist, works with weaving

-Works characterized by red threads, sprawling across spaces, walls and ceilings

-Threads interact with memorablia to depict events or emotions on cosmic scale

-Interweaves materiality and the psychic perception of space

-Broad themes of life, relationships, memory and existence

-immerses and engages with viewers

I came across Shiota's work at K11 Musea (mall) in Hong Kong, and decided to use my photos for her research. Spanning as tall as a few floors, you can observe the piece from many angles due to its' position in the centre of the room. Instantly, the red yarn draws my attention into the meticulous matrices of threads. I loved how the yarn obscured the memorablia at some angles, encouraging the viewer to walk around and observe the installation. Today's textile lecture reaffirms to me how I've underestimated the versatility of textiles, and how they can be used to redefine spaces and relationships between people in them. Trapped within these threads were writings of people's wishes, and wire boats, a key element in most of her recent works. There is a sense of hope and optimism shrouded amidst an existential scale, just from the sheer size of the piece. I like how even with a single technique of overlapping strings, Shiota has managed to create a variation of patterns and textures which playfully flow through the spaces in gradients.

(Sources:

The Theatricality of Chiharu Shiota's Art, Bloomberg, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULpxdHy0eZc

Chiharu Shiota - https://www.chiharu-shiota.com/biography)

Textile Design

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