State of Being

Vibrant and daring, Chiharu Shiota’s State of Being (Keys) (2016) is a striking manifestation of materiality and memory. In this large-scale installation, Shiota has filled a light-up rectangular box with five thousand old keys, which she has then enclosed within a red woven frame. Installed as part of the KØS Museum of Art’s In your heart In your city, an exhibition of art in public spaces, State of Being (Keys) was created in dialogue with the artist’s contribution to the 2015 Venice Biennale. Shiota is known for her woven installations, which often incorporate personal tokens and other objects. These large, enveloping and tactile works are reminiscent of the sculptures of Louise Bourgeois and Eva Hesse; like these women, Shiota imbues her art with a sense of performativity.