ART CITIES: Paris-Chiharu Shiota, The Soul Trembles or The Art of Atopia

Among the female artists of our time who stand out for their powerful work—art that undoubtedly makes the soul tremble and at the same time embodies a trembling soul within its threads—is, unquestionably, Chiharu Shiota. And because a section of the Grand Palais, that is still under renovation, was opened early in her honor, and the impressive photos circulating in the media and on social media heightened expectations.

By Efi Michalarou
Photo: Dimitris Lempesis

Even at the entrance of the exhibition, the first installation —with black threads and white trapped objects— sets the tone for a very different show, curated by Mami Kataoka, the director of Mori Aart Museum in Tokyo. However, for the expert who had seen her exhibition two years ago at the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques Guimet (Mnaag) at Trocadero, as well as her solo exhibition in Paris at the Daniel Templon Gallery, the disappointment is significant and immediate. Five large installations—one of which was previously shown at the SCAD Museum of Art and a smaller installation, which this time extends horizontally without the threads above it, are essentially the same as a differently arranged piece from the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques Guimet (Mnaag). Following this is a series of photographs of sets and costumes from various operas or theatrical productions, which seem like an attempt to fill the gaps. It is the fourth major museum exhibition in Paris during this post-Olympics period in which both experts and the educated public feel that the French have truly lost their direction, awkwardly balancing between two approaches. For years, admiration for them wasn’t just about the spaces and exhibition choices but also the curatorial work combined with their theoretical and historical expertise, always in full dialogue. One wonders, what purpose does yet another exhibition of the undoubtedly significant Chiharu Shiota serve in atopia? And what do I mean by this term? Exactly as in architecture, where the phenomenon of atopia emerges, particularly in large public spaces such as airports or train stations, a similar trend has emerged in recent years—something we first observed in Berlin in 2017. Art is now being presented in precisely the same way, as if place, space, and building are irrelevant. It feels a bit like a product on a supermarket shelf, where companies follow specific communication strategies, and everything is arranged accordingly. This is precisely what is happening with many major international exhibitions—a trend observed this year in Paris (and not last year) that we truly hope will quickly run its course. Exhibitions of this kind are neither educational nor instructive; they are simply spectacular. And I wonder, when art succumbs to spectacle, how significant does its essence remain? What, in the end, is its true substance?

Photo: Exhibition view “Chiharu Shiota, The Soul Trembles”, Grand Palais-Paris, 2024, Photo: © & Courtesy Dimitris Lempesis

Info: Curator: Curator: Mami Kataoka, The Grand Palais, 7 avenue Winston Churchill, Paris, France, Duration: 11/12/2024-19/3/2025, Days & Hours: Tue-Thu & Sat-Sun 10:00-19:30, Fri 10:00-22:00, www.grandpalais.fr/