Chiharu Shiota’s 'The Unsettled Soul' brings the art of memory and loss to Kunsthalle Praha

In a striking collision of memory, loss, and time, Kunsthalle Praha will exhibit The Unsettled Soul, a major exhibition by internationally renowned Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota, opening Nov. 28. This marks Shiota’s first solo exhibit in Czechia, offering the city a rare opportunity to experience the immersive installations that have captivated audiences across the globe.

Shiota, whose work explores the invisible threads connecting people, places, and histories, is best known for her monumental yarn installations—visually arresting networks of red threads that sweep across space like the delicate yet unyielding strands of memory itself.

“Chiharu Shiota creates dreamlike, emotionally and intellectually impressive installations, conveying powerful experiences that remain in the audience’s memory,” said Christelle Havranek, chief curator of Kunsthalle Prague.

Shiota has gained worldwide recognition for her works in the form of intricate webs of woolen yarn. She has exhibited in leading world institutions, such as the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, the Gropius Bau in Berlin and the National Museum of Art in Osaka. In 2015, the artist represented Japan at the Venice Biennale.

While this marks the artist’s first exhibition in Prague, Shiota's previous visit inspired one of her key installations. Crossing Paths was born from her encounter with the Vltava River, which deeply resonated with her. The river’s symbolism as a timeless force and its role as a connector of Prague to other countries and cultures left a lasting impression on her creative vision.

Among the works central to the exhibition is Heart at Home, where metal structures resembling houses are engulfed in red yarn. Another installation, Multiple Realities, is a dynamic work that explores the fluidity of identity. Rotating dresses and suspended objects shift in the air, their movement echoing the complexities and contradictions inherent in the search for self.

But Shiota’s exploration of absence and loss most powerfully anchors the exhibition. At the heart of The Unsettled Soul lies a charred piano, a haunting reminder of the fragility of memory. As a child, Shiota witnessed a fire that consumed a neighboring house, leaving only a scarred and broken piano.

The exhibition also offers a rare glimpse into Shiota’s artistic evolution, featuring works from the early 1990s to the present day. Films, archival materials, and a professional biography give context to her practice, tracing the arc of a career that has constantly evolved, yet remained deeply rooted in the themes of memory, identity, and the passage of time.

An English-language catalog documenting the exhibition will be released in February 2025. Designed in traditional Japanese style, it will feature essays by Kunsthalle curator Christelle Havranek and art critic Jason Waite, exploring Shiota’s artistic journey and the material influences that have shaped her practice.