Upgrade your gallery fun experience with friends / part 2
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Collectible art: Power of plays with threads & found objects
Chiharu Shiota is a Japanese contemporary artist who is based in Berlin, Germany. She is known for her immersive installations. She took credit to her personal experiences as inspiration to create artworks exploring relationships between the body, memory, life, and death.
28 November 2018 to 19 January 2019 | Blain Southern, London
Me Somewhere Else
Documented on 11 January 2019
First impression
The lead installation Me Somewhere Else caught our attention upon arrival. It was a large-scale of red weaving web installed, the size and color are dominant yet powerful. It has taken most of the ceiling, like the shape of radar, threads were suspending and narrowing it down like a cone to the pair of feet sculpture. There were lights placed around in a random order, which has given the installation more textual and enlarged its dimension by projecting shadows on four sides of the walls.
In the second room, there were artworks made with found objects, corresponding weaving techniques, and the use of black or significant red threads. The cluttering and weaving concept has somehow given me an impression of habitat association to spider or caterpillar, one to have insects trapped in relation to death and another is personal growth in relation to life. What shares in common between the two habitats is the life cycle. How do you feel about it?
In fact, Shiota’s idea was more in-depth and mindful playing with symbolic meanings through objects.
Intimate thoughts of Shiota about the works:
“I feel that my body is connected to the universe but is my consciousness as well? When my feet touch the earth, I feel connected to the world, to the universe that is spread like a net of human connections, but if I don’t feel my body anymore where do I go? …… Where do I go when my body is gone? When my feet do not touch the ground anymore”
In comparison to my perspective on the creative concept, the way of Shiota approached, is more intimate about her fascination with body, memory, life, and death.
Symbolic meaning
Questions about the relationship between the human body and mind can be complex, which interests Shiota to examine the surreal idea of human consciousness and our body existing independently. She took reference to neurons firing and our body reflecting on our conscious decision. Weaving signified the complex neurons firing system.
Cultural context
In traditional Asian culture, the color red is associated with happiness or celebration. Appropriation to the concept for the exhibition, it could be signified human blood or warmth connection. On the other hand, the color white is associated with the death ceremony. To apply to the concept, it is understandably signified death for the white objects.
Additional info
Shiota has a strong interest in psychogeography, exploring between psyche and space. She mentioned teacher Marina Abramovic who has played an important role in influencing her art formation. Also, she has been hugely inspired by Christian Boltanski‘s work for some of her later installed works.
Auction house features:
Shiota’s work was featured on China Guardian Hong Kong 2021 autumn auction, an highlight preview of Asian 20th Century and Contemporary Art.
An estimated value of HK$ 350,000 – 550,000 ( US$ 45,000 – 70,700 ).
It was acquired by a present important Asian collector from Galerie Templon Paris.
If you are interested to introduce Shiota’s work to your collection for home display, you shall arrange a high-ceiling room for large-scale works. It deserves your full attention.
Thank you for reading
We appreciate your thoughts regarding her works, please do not be shy to share them in the comment section below.
angelalee THE ART
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