Immersive Art to Enjoy in London—Chiharu Shiota and Yin Xiuzhen

Yin Xiuzhen: Heart to Heart

The Hayward’s lower galleries hold Heart to Heart, Xiuzhen’s first major UK show. This is a captivating collection of her achievements throughout her decades-long career. From stunningly detailed fabric cities in suitcases to a large and highly original caterpillar-van, everything is bold, bright, and distinctive. An impressive new commission crowns the exhibition: a giant human heart made of used fabrics and garments. The installation is hollow and audiences are invited to enter and quite literally sit inside the heart for a moment of meditation and reflection.

A master of the use of fabrics, Xiuzhen’s work is strong and poignant. It is, in large part, a very effective reflection on consumerism, waste, and an overwhelming loss of human connection. Having grown up in a Beijing neighborhood that is now unrecognizable, Xiuzhen invites us to reflect on our ways of life. In an increasingly connected world, we are losing a vital sense of community, and we are in fact more isolated than before. The skill and originality with which she gets the message across are remarkable.

Chiharu Shiota: Threads of Life

Leaving the lower galleries, you may be accompanied by the feeling that, whatever is upstairs, probably can’t quite match Xiuzhen’s artistry. Think again. Threads of Life is Chiharu Shiota’s first solo exhibition in a London public gallery. If there is ever a definition of art that needs to be seen to be believed, surely this is it.

At heart, Shiota’s work aims to explore the concepts of mind, body, and what it means to be human. Yet, in contrast with Xiuzhen’s colorful and upbeat style, Shiota’s art is guttural and deeply emotive. Her favorite (and most effective) trick is the use of intricately woven threads. Heading upstairs, audiences are immediately met by one such endeavour: the stunning The Locked Room. As you walk through a room covered in red threads and keys, your eyes don’t know where to rest.

Shiota uses threads to symbolize the connections we make throughout life, but there is much more to it. The following rooms host a series of hard-hitting installations. The moving Letters of Thanks invites audiences to follow a passage through red threads falling from the ceiling, dotted with thank you letters. The powerful During Sleep deepens the mood with black threads spawning from white beds. Though you can certainly admire Shiota’s work from photographs, only being in the space itself can convey the full array of emotions audiences are catapulted into as they walk through her web.

Xiuzhen and Shiota are united by the use of unusual materials (in an artistic sense) and their reflections on society and human existence. This is an accomplished and hugely enjoyable exhibition, combining two artists who have a lot to say with their very unique voices. If you are in London, do yourself a favor and go experience this in person—photos are only half the story.

Chiharu Shiota: Threads of Life and Yin Xiuzhen: Heart to Heart are on view at the Hayward Gallery, London, UK, until May 3, 2026.