chiharu shiota thread wraps the mattress factory

chiharu shiota’s thread wraps the mattress factory
chiharu shiota: trace of memory, 2013
all images courtesy mattress factory and tom little photography

chiharu shiota
the mattress factory, pittsburgh
now through may 31, 2014

japanese artist chiharu shiota leaves her mark on nearly every surface of the mattress factory for her current exhibition ‘trace of memory’. presented as the inaugural show for the mattress factory’s newest gallery space — a renovated 19th-century row house — the immersive installation responds to the raw conditions of the former residence, building an aesthetic relationship with cosmetic interior details like exposed brick and worn floor boards. using seemingly infinite amounts of black thread, the walls, halls, and floor are completely wrapped in an intricate labyrinth of material, composing a savage net of interwoven twine. the site-specific installation commands the entire space, enveloping structural elements like desks, chairs, and suitcases in the room-sized, webbed environment. filling up eight rooms of the house-turned-art-space, shiota’s engaging sculpture leads visitors on an almost hypnotic journey throughout the building, visually guiding them through the eerie, string-engulfed maze.

chiharu shiota: trace of memory, 2013
installation view

chiharu shiota: trace of memory, 2013
installation view

chiharu shiota: trace of memory, 2013
installation view

chiharu shiota: trace of memory, 2013
installation view

chiharu shiota: trace of memory, 2013
installation view

chiharu shiota: trace of memory, 2013
installation view