Chiharu Shiota & Yin Xiuzhen at Hayward Gallery: A Review | CityAM

The Hayward Gallery in London is currently hosting a dual exhibition featuring the work of Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota and Chinese artist Yin Xiuzhen. The show, which opened this week, presents a conceptually uneven pairing, according to multiple reviews, though both artists employ large-scale installations utilizing everyday materials.

Shiota’s contribution centers around immersive environments constructed from intricate webs of string. One installation, titled “During Sleep,” features a dozen institutional beds enveloped in a dense network of cord, intended to be occupied monthly by volunteers as a performance element. Another prominent piece consists of a room-sized tangle of red string adorned with hundreds of antique keys, with a doorway allowing visitors to walk through the installation. Additional works suspend thousands of thank you letters from more red string, and another enmeshes a wedding gown in a black web. Critics note the technical impressiveness of these pieces, but suggest the underlying messages – concerning life, death, and connection – are somewhat blunt.

The exhibition revisits themes explored in Shiota’s earlier work, notably her large-scale installation at the 2015 Venice Biennale. The current show, however, has drawn criticism for a perceived lack of conceptual cohesion, particularly in its juxtaposition with Yin Xiuzhen’s work.

Xiuzhen’s pieces offer a more focused critique, examining China’s role in the global economy and the impact of rapid industrialization. Her largest installation features a baggage carousel constructed from clothing, with suitcases also made of clothes containing miniature cityscapes. This visually represents the export of Chinese labor and the dispersal of its products worldwide. Smaller works include a trunk of clothes created with her mother, encased in concrete – a symbolic preservation and ruin of memory – and a video depicting locals attempting to remove frozen water from a polluted river.

The contrast between the artists’ approaches is stark. Shiota’s work is described as “big, bold, and rather two-dimensional,” while Xiuzhen’s is considered more delicate and specific in its aims. The pairing, while visually striking, has been described as conceptually disjointed, with some critics questioning the rationale behind combining such disparate artistic visions.

Xiuzhen’s work directly addresses the consequences of globalization and China’s economic transformation. The baggage carousel installation, in particular, serves as a potent metaphor for the country’s manufacturing prowess and its role in the global supply chain. The miniature cities contained within the suitcases highlight the displacement and transformation inherent in this process. The concrete-encased trunk, a collaboration with her mother, speaks to the preservation of personal history amidst broader societal changes.

The exhibition’s success hinges on the viewer’s willingness to engage with the individual works rather than seeking a unified narrative. While Shiota’s installations offer a visually arresting experience, their thematic simplicity may leave some wanting more intellectual depth. Xiuzhen’s work, provides a more nuanced and critical perspective on contemporary issues, though its impact may be lessened by the exhibition’s overall lack of coherence.

The exhibition runs until May 3rd, 2026, at the Hayward Gallery in London.