While conceptualizing the exhibition, Shiota draws inspiration from Istanbul's unique geographical location, straddling Asia and Europe. She also considers Istanbul Modern’s historical harbor setting in Karaköy, a bustling district, weaving a connection between the stories of passengers arriving and departing by ship and her own migration journey from Japan to Germany.
The exhibition presents an enchanting installation that fills the entire gallery space with a web of red threads. Suitcases are intertwined within this dense network of threads, symbolizing connections between people, emotions, and memories. Shiota uses the color red to represent blood vessels and the flow of life, while also serving as a metaphor for human connections. Each suitcase represents an individual, creating a visual context that invites viewers to reflect on themes such as home, belonging, and identity.
By merging Istanbul’s cosmopolitan identity with her personal migration story, Chiharu Shiota’s work encourages viewers to rethink their own lives, memories, and relationships from a universal human perspective. The exhibition offers not only a visually captivating experience but also invites an introspective journey through the labyrinth of the human mind.
The "Between Worlds" exhibition will be on view at Istanbul Modern until April 2025.
