Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota has a fascinating installation on show at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washiongton D.C.
The piece is rather monumental. Upon seeing it, I was at first overwhelmed by the number of shoes on display and then taken aback by the feeling of intimacy once I learned about the project. Shiota is fascinated by the human experience over time. She collects discarded shoes - they represent past moments. Each shoe in the installation has a story written on a piece of paper and attached to it. These stories, even when one cannot read them, make the large art piece feel familiar. Shiota certainly draws of our experiences and memories of the past.
The piece is rather monumental. Upon seeing it, I was at first overwhelmed by the number of shoes on display and then taken aback by the feeling of intimacy once I learned about the project. Shiota is fascinated by the human experience over time. She collects discarded shoes - they represent past moments. Each shoe in the installation has a story written on a piece of paper and attached to it. These stories, even when one cannot read them, make the large art piece feel familiar. Shiota certainly draws of our experiences and memories of the past.
What I enjoyed the most was the variety of shoes - each shoe has its own character and style, like human beings. Yet, the shoes are all attached by a string to a central single string. It is almost as if Shiota reflects on the variety of our experience, yet understands that we all share a larger understanding of life.
The installation, called Perspectives, will be around until June 7, 2015. If you have a chance, stop by and see it!
The installation, called Perspectives, will be around until June 7, 2015. If you have a chance, stop by and see it!