Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota has announced a new site-specific installation titled *The Space Between Us* for the 16th Curitiba International Biennial – THRESHOLDS, opening June 14 through November 15, 2026 at the Oscar Niemeyer Museum (MON) in Curitiba, Brazil. Curated by Tereza de Arruda, the work invites the public to submit letters—in text, collage, or other manual forms—which Shiota considers self-portraits of each participant’s inner universe. Submissions must be sent by May 20, 2026, and will be woven into a large-scale collective installation that makes visible the hidden experiences of individuals.
This project matters because it extends Shiota’s signature practice of using thread and everyday objects to explore memory, absence, and human connection into a participatory, community-driven format. By transforming private letters into a shared artwork, the biennial underscores the role of art as a space for collective expression and emotional visibility. Shiota, who represented Japan at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015 and has exhibited at major institutions worldwide, brings her established international profile to the Curitiba Biennial, amplifying the event’s reach and reinforcing the growing trend of audience co-creation in contemporary art.