Chiharu Shiota Shares the Message Behind Her Immersive Thread Installations [Interview]

Uncertain Journey by Chiharu Shiota

“Uncertain Journey” at Grand Palais

Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota is known for her immersive installations, where threads cover a space and provide commentary on our connectedness. Based in Berlin, Shiota has had a spectacular career for over two decades, bringing her art to institutions around the world. Now, the Grand Palais in Paris is celebrating her career with the largest-ever exhibition in France dedicated to her work.

The Soul Trembles, organized in collaboration with Tokyo’s Mori Art Museum, covers 1,200 square meters and offers seven large-scale installations, sculptures, photographs, drawings, and performance videos. In doing so, it gives a comprehensive look at Shiota’s artistic production, while still leaving space for new work. The exhibition is also deeply personal, with the artist discovering that her cancer had returned just one day after confirming the exhibition, which is her largest to date.

Not only was the title of the show inspired by the mix of emotions she felt at the time, but many of the newer pieces were also inspired by her time in the hospital as she battled against cancer and underwent chemotherapy. We were fortunate enough to chat with Shiota about her work, what inspired her love of installations, and what it’s like to create art for large institutions.

Read on for My Modern Met’s exclusive interview and visit The Soul Trembles, which is on view at the Grand Palais until March 19, 2025.

Between Worlds by Chiharu Shiota at Istanbul Modern

“Between Worlds” at Istanbul Modern (Photo: Kayhan Kaygusuz)

How did art become a part of your life?

When I was a child, I loved drawing. Art has always been part of my life, and I can’t remember when it started. I began showing my drawings when I was 5 years old. I even remember one where I wrote my name, but it was backwards because I could draw before I could write.

Chiharu Shiota Accumulation Searching for the Destination

“Accumulation Searching for the Destination” at Grand Palais

How have your own personal experiences informed your work?

I always start my work from personal experience. I can’t create art about something I’ve only read about; I need to live through it first, then turn those feelings into something universal. I want everyone to connect to it.

Chiharu Shiota Accumulation Searching for the Destination

“Accumulation Searching for the Destination” at Grand Palais

What drew you to site-specific installations as a vehicle for your creativity?

I always wanted to be a painter, but whenever I painted on canvas, everything I created looked like someone else’s work. I couldn’t create anything new—it was all about technique, not feeling. When I finally began using thread, I felt like I had found my own material. I could express my emotions. It’s like painting in the air with thread.

Chiharu Shiota at the Hammer Museum

“The Network” at the Hammer Museum (Photo: Jeff Mclane)

How does the space where you create your cobweb installations inform the creative process and eventual outcome of the piece?

I never think of my work as a “cobweb” installation; to me, it’s more like a painting. My work is about connection. I believe we are all connected, and it’s impossible to be part of society without those connections. It’s also about memory. The web of threads reminds me of the brain and the neural system, filled with memories and our existence. I always need to visit the museum space before I can think about what to create—only by seeing the space can I imagine what will fit.

Between Worlds by Chiharu Shiota at Istanbul Modern

“Between Worlds” at Istanbul Modern (Photo: Kayhan Kaygusuz)

We recently visited Istanbul Modern and experienced your powerful installation in person. What do you hope people experience or come away with when visiting pieces such as this?

My installations don’t offer a single answer. People are free to interpret them however they wish. If they want to learn more my concept, they can research and read before or after. But I think every person brings their own perspective—100 people will have 100 different opinions.

Between Worlds by Chiharu Shiota at Istanbul Modern

“Between Worlds” at Istanbul Modern (Photo: Kayhan Kaygusuz)

What is the most challenging, and most rewarding, of working in an institutional space like Istanbul Modern?

It wasn’t challenging. They were very supportive, and everything went great. The most rewarding part is that the exhibition was so well received that they decided to extend it for over a year.

Chiharu Shiota at the Grand Palais

Chiharu Shiota at the Grand Palais (Photo: Didier Plowy)

Paris’ Grand Palais is currently hosting a large exhibition of your work. What consideration went into selecting the pieces to display?

The curator, Mami Kataoka, curated the show and decided what to include and in what order. When Mami visited me in Berlin in 2017 to discuss this exhibition for the Mori Art Museum in 2019, I was overjoyed. The very next day, I was informed that my cancer had returned. I found myself thinking a lot about death, my soul, and my daughter, who was only 9 at the time. This became the inspiration for the title. During the preparation for the show, I underwent surgery and chemotherapy. It felt as though I was living for this exhibition. During that time, I also created new works reflecting my experience in the hospital. Mami wanted to showcase both my 25 years of work as an artist and the new pieces I had created.

In Silence by Chiharu Shiota

“In Silence” at Grand Palais

In Silence by Chiharu Shiota

“In Silence” at Grand Palais

What do you hope that people take away from your work?

When I create something, I do not think about what the viewer will take away from it. I create to express myself and want to extend this feeling.

Exhibition Information:
Chiharu Shiota
The Soul Trembles
December 11, 2024 – March 19, 2025
Grand Palais in Paris, France
7 avenue Winston Churchill (75008)

Chiharu Shiota: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Chiharu Shiota.

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