Chiharu Shiota: Threads of Life

Threads of Life is Berlin-based Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota’s first major solo exhibition in a London public gallery. The intricate takeover will see the artist weave immersive works from floor-to-ceiling across the Hayward Gallery’s top floor.

Best-known for her large-scale installations which engulf ordinary objects – such as shoes, keys, beds, chairs and dresses – within huge structures of woollen thread, Shiota’s work explores the body, memory, consciousness and the fragility of existence. Predominantly using red, black or white wool, her evocative pieces make visible the intangible connections we make throughout life.

The exhibition will feature new iterations of Shiota’s past monumental installations, including The Locked Room (2016) and During Sleep (2002). As if painting three dimensionally in a space with string, these delicately woven structures allude to the shared experiences that interconnect us while creating a cocoon-like area that encloses visitors as they walk through it.

Cheapo Top Tip:
Tickets include entry to partner exhibition Yin Xiuzhen: Heart to Heart so it’s already a real cultural bargain – but to celebrate the Southbank Centre’s 75th anniversary, there are 750 tickets available for the opening week of this exhibition priced at just £7.50. Book by 10am on Friday 30th January 2026 and select the Southbank Centre 75th Anniversary Opening Week Offer ticket type when booking; subject to availability.