World War II Journal Entries Float in a Web of Blood-Red Yarn in Chiharu Shiota’s ‘Diary’

The 80th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II is being commemorated through a remarkable exhibition by Berlin-based artist Chiharu Shiota. Titled Two Home Countries, this collection is showcased at the Japan Society Gallery, highlighting Shiota’s distinguished style of creating immersive experiences through her renowned string installations. These works invite viewers to delve into emotional and atmospheric experiences characterized by universal themes alongside deeply personal narratives.

Upon entering Two Home Countries, attendees find themselves surrounded by a striking display made of red thread, evoking the imagery of interwoven veins and blood vessels. The installation takes a transformative shape, mimicking houses while spreading throughout the room with a cloud-like presence filled with scripted pages. Shiota’s work intricately explores profound themes such as memory, mortality, connection, identity, and belonging. The gallery describes her pieces as an exploration of “how pain, displacement, boundaries, and existential uncertainty shape the human condition and our understanding of self.”

One of the standout installations is the expansive room-sized piece titled “Diary,” a reimagined version of a previous work that has been specially commissioned for Two Home Countries. This room features a dense network of yarn through which float pages from the journals of Japanese soldiers, alongside writings from German civilians of the post-war era. As noted by the gallery, “The accumulated pages reveal an expansive record of shared human existence across national boundaries.”

Shiota expresses the emotional resonance of objects left behind when the body is gone, articulating her experience of discovery within the markets of Berlin. “I find especially personal items like photographs, old passports, and personal diaries. Once, I found a diary from 1946, which offered intimate insights into the person’s life and experiences,” Shiota explains. This connection allows her to perceive the profound presence of the writer’s “inner self” through these tangible remnants.

Two Home Countries is available for viewing until January 11 in New York City. To plan your visit, head over to the Japan Society’s website. For more details about Shiota’s work, visit her official site or follow her on Instagram.