Threads of Memory & Material: Shiota & Yin Transform Loondon Southbank’s Hayward Gallery

At the Hayward Gallery, Threads of Life by Japanese performance and installation artist  Chiharu Shiota and Heart to Heart by Chinese sculptor Yin Xiuzhen unfolds as a striking and immersive exploration of memory, identity and human connection. Working with humble, everyday materials—thread, clothing, found objects—both artists transform the gallery into a deeply emotional landscape that feels at once intimate and monumental.

Shiota’s vast, web-like installations are the undeniable centrepiece, enveloping visitors in intricate networks of red and black thread that stretch across entire rooms. Suspended objects—keys, letters, beds—become poetic symbols of absence, longing and connection, inviting audiences to physically move through memory itself.  

In contrast, Yin Xiuzhen’s work offers a quieter but equally resonant experience. Using secondhand clothing and domestic materials, she constructs installations that speak to migration, urban change and the fragility of personal history. Her Portable Cities series, where miniature urban landscapes emerge from suitcases, is particularly affecting—suggesting that “home” is something carried rather than fixed.  

Together, the exhibitions create a powerful dialogue between two distinct artistic voices, united by a shared sensitivity to the traces we leave behind. The result is a contemplative and visually arresting experience that lingers long after leaving the gallery.

Chiharu Shiota: Threads of Life and Yin Xiuzhen: Heart to Heart continue at the Hayward Gallery, Southbank Centre, until 3rd May 2026.

Get your tickets here

WRITTEN BY NURA AROOJ

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