I love exhibitions because my work shines in such environments.
When creating, I try to keep a calm spirit and not let stress get the best of me.
Guests of the RIHGA Royal Hotel:
Contemporary Artist Shiota Chiharu
In this article, I interview contemporary artist Shiota Chiharu who is holding a large-scale solo exhibition for the first time in 16 years in Osaka at the Nakanoshima Art Museum, Osaka. Originally from Osaka, she is active in Berlin while flying around the world to exhibit her works. She has a precious memory of the RIHGA Royal Hotel.
In addition to Shiota’s signature large-scale installations, the solo exhibition at the Nakanoshima Art Museum, Osaka, also features illustrations created for Yomiuri Shimbun’s serialized novel “Trainee (Praktikantin)” written by Tawada Yoko.
“Presence-in-absence” has manifested as countless threads
Shiota Chiharu weaves countless threads to create dynamic yet poetic spaces. In this exhibition, you first pass through the Internal Line, consisting of a red dress and innumerable threads hanging from the ceiling, to reach the entrance. There, Wondering Memory appears, a room with white threads stretching from left to right and water drops dripping into a 20-meter basin. These bold spatial constructs deliver a viewing experience that involves your entire body.
“Usually, I visit the exhibition site beforehand and brainstorm ideas from there. The Nakanoshima Art Museum, Osaka, has this characteristic black box outlook, and the red dress, Internal Line, is located in a space with an open window. You must be able to see the red dress from the city of Nakanoshima. It would look especially clear at night.”
The title of the exhibition is “CHIHARU SHIOTA, I to EYE.” After the disconnect that spread among people during the COVID-19 quarantine, Shiota decided to program an exhibition around the theme of connection. The most symbolic work is Connecting Ring, more than 1,500 letters the artist publicly called for, woven with red thread.
“Reading the letters everyone sent me, I felt like I was looking at their lives. I’ve never met any of these people, but I felt each and everyone’s presence. “Presence-in-absence” is something I’ve been exploring all along.”
After over 25 years in Berlin, Osaka still has a special place in her heart
The type of lodging I choose when creating for an exhibition varies from country to country. “This time around, I had a fantastic stay at the RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka, which is conveniently located near the museum.”
In this exhibition, Shiota exhibited 6 installations. She spent 2 weeks at the site to make them. With staff members and art students, she wove almost 3,000 yarns everyday.
To me, thread as a material is similar to paint and pencil. How it gets entangled and how it breaks seem to reflect human emotions. I have an unending curiosity with thread. It’s such a fun time to work with assistance from others, but recently I’m being treated like their mentor . . . I’m wondering how I could close the distance with everyone.”
It’s imperceptible from the intense exhibit space, but Shiota, born in Osaka, has a very friendly personality. Whenever there’s an exhibition in Japan, she’ll pass by her parents’ house in Kishiwada before heading to the site. To Shiota, Osaka is a special place.
My mother loves to hear that I have exhibitions in my hometown. She asked me, “What kind of stuff are you making this time?” So I told her that I’d make a big basin in the exhibit room and fill it with water. She said, “Can you do that in a museum? You’re up to no good.” (laugh) Osaka is always cozy. People are friendly and I feel like they haven’t changed.”
By the way, Shiota has been in Berlin for more than 25 years. Berlin respects talent. It’s a great place to live for artists.
Exhibition after exhibition all around the world. Trying to keep a level head
Restaurant Chambord’s special dish, “Bitter caramelized apple, flavored with Tahitian vanilla, covered with red threads ~ les liens.”
During the 2 weeks, Shirota stayed in the RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka. She told us about a memorable experience at the hotel.
“My childhood friend had their wedding ceremony at the hotel. It was a great ceremony. Our middle school teachers showed up. I even remember sitting next to a science teacher. (laugh) I was so inspired by that wedding that I got married a year later in Berlin.”
The exhibition at the Nakanoshima Art Museum, Osaka, inspired special dishes and cocktails at the RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka. Restaurant Chambord serves “Bitter caramelized apple, flavored with Tahitian vanilla, covered with red threads ~ les liens.” Seeing the red thread made of candy, she remarked, “I’ve never seen such an intricate design! It was also surprising how they combined soft parts and a hard texture like toffee apple.”
A week before the exhibition in Osaka, Shiota had another exhibition at a museum in Istanbul. She headed to Turkey to join the opening event, and flew back to Osaka after staying there a day. After Osaka, another will start in Chengdu, China. Artist who represents Japan has such a busy schedule.
“I feel a lot of pressure. To me, it’s important to have a space to have fun and spend normal time to handle it. Having said that, I love exhibitions. Many of my works are contingent on having space, so I can’t work without opportunities for exhibitions. I want to continue trying exhibitions in various places.”
Shiota Chiharu
Born in 1972 in Kishiwada, Osaka, Shiota Chiharu is an artist based in Berlin. Known for her large-scale installations, she asks questions such as “What is life?” and “Why do we exist?” through her work. In 2015, she was selected to represent the Japanese Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Currently, her first large-scale solo exhibition in her hometown of Osaka since her last exhibition at the National Museum of Art, Osaka, in 2008,“CHIHARU SHIOTA, I to EYE.” is on display at the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka.
RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka,
Vignette Collection
Restaurant Chambord
Phone: +81 (0) 6-6441-0953 (direct)
5-3-68 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka
※All pictures shown are for illustration purposes only.
※All prices include tax.
※Menus are subject to change due to seasonality and product availability.
※All products are subject to renewal or discontinuation without notice.
Interview / Takeuchi Atsushi
Photography / Kawasumi Tomoaki
Location / RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka, Vignette Collection Restaurant Chambord
