The solo exhibition My House is Your House by Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota is now open at Azkuna Zentroa – Alhóndiga Bilbao, running from May 27th to September 28th, 2025. Known for her ability to evoke profound emotions, Shiota’s work continues to engage audiences with contemporary art about memory, inviting reflection on the fragility of life and the meaning of home.
Memory in art: the red thread that weaves ideas into a unified whole
Curated by art historian Tereza de Arruda, this exhibition spans Shiota’s career, from early works in the 1990s to new installations created specifically for the Bilbao venue. Her pieces transform everyday objects—furniture, clothing, windows—into immersive environments woven with intricate threads. Through these objects, Shiota explores universal themes of home, migration, life, and death, creating a space where memory in art becomes both personal and collective.
One of the highlights is the collaborative installation The Inside and Outside, which incorporates letters and drawings contributed by Bilbao residents. This project transforms private memories into a shared narrative, demonstrating how individual experiences can form a collective story of belonging and change.
Large-scale art installations: immersive experiences
In the Atrium, Shiota presents thirteen monumental red dresses, suspended as if floating in time. These dresses, symbolic of the human body as both a cocoon and protective shell, reflect on vulnerability, intimacy, and the notion of home as an extension of the self.
The exhibition hall features expansive thread installations, weaving together items such as clothing and windows to create intricate webs. These large-scale art installations evoke paths, stories, and absent presences, encouraging visitors to contemplate the passage of time and the connections that link people across generations. The red threads, dominant throughout the exhibition, echo life force and energy, while simultaneously inviting viewers into a contemplative, poetic space. By transforming everyday objects into immersive artworks, Shiota crafts a universal narrative that transcends language, nationality, and religion.
My House is Your House is a rare opportunity to experience Shiota’s immersive vision firsthand, where contemporary art about memory intersects with large-scale installations, personal histories, and collective storytelling.
Delve into Chiharu Shiota’s creative vision, where memory, time, and ephemeral experiences shape breathtaking installations. Our conversation uncovers her philosophy on art, human connection, and the poetry embedded in space.
Photography by SUNHI MANG