Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota's exhibition opens in Beijing

Renowned Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota’s solo exhibition, "The Soul Trembles," opened in Beijing on Saturday, bringing her poetic artistry to the Chinese capital for the first time.

Hosted at the Red Brick Art Museum, the exhibition is characterized by Shiota’s use of threads to create surreal, immersive spaces that evoke and express deep human emotion. These striking installations are signature elements of her latest solo show.

Together, the works on display form a profound exploration of "existence." Tracing her artistic evolution from her early years, the exhibition highlights Shiota’s shift from canvas painting and performance art to large-scale installation art.

Born in Osaka in 1972, the Japanese artist reflects on her childhood dreams. Her inspiration often stems from personal experiences and emotions, which then evolve into universal themes of life, death, and relationships.

"My life is like art. I had cancer two times, and this kind of illness is also connected with my art. When I had my daughter, all parts of my life are connected with my art," said Shiota.

By collecting ordinary objects such as shoes, keys, chairs, and dresses, and weaving them into thread structure, she has redefined the concept of memory and consciousness.

"The thing is like [a] human relationship. The relationship is sometimes all tangled, losing… it’s a readout of my feeling," said the artist.

In addition, the exhibition’s distinct Eastern aesthetic incorporates traditional Chinese elements, aiming to create a deeper resonance with local audiences.

"In fact, this time, we have incorporated many Chinese elements into the exhibition, such as Chinese culture, connotations, philosophy, and religion. It is an international endeavor," said Yan Shijie, curator of the Red Brick Art Museum.

The solo show also captivates many young visitors, inviting them to explore the meaning of existence through an artistic tunnel of time.

"I'm very happy because so many younger people came to my show. They want to take selfies and photos, then they stay in the exhibition place for a very long time. They learn about my work and they want to learn more about my work. This makes very happy," said Shiota.

Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota's exhibition opens in Beijing

The United States cannot legitimize an operation that attacked Venezuela and captured its president, a Chinese scholar said Sunday.

On Saturday, the United States launched a large-scale strike on Venezuela, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were 'captured and flown out of Venezuela' according to a post by U.S. President Donald Trump on his Truth Social account.

Teng Jianqun, director of the Center for Diplomatic Studies at Hunan Normal University, said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) that the aim of this operation is to take full control of Venezuela’s natural resources.

"I don't think the United States can legitimize this operation to take custody of the president of Venezuela. And also I don't think the United States can legitimize its any action in taking the oil reserves of that country. This is actually a very dangerous game played by the Trump administration. And of course, the United States would like to take full control of that country and to take full control of the natural resources, especially the large reserve of oil in Venezuela," said Teng.

Teng said Venezuela is not an isolated case but a common practice by the United States. The United States launched an invasion of Panama on Dec. 20, 1989, which continued until January 1990, with the stated objective of capturing Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega on charges of drug trafficking and organized crime.

"We still remember the so-called sentence of the former president of Panama in the late 1980s. And this time, the president of Venezuela will be under some judicial condition (judicial proceedings) for the so-called drug trafficking and some other crimes. So I think this is not a single case for the Venezuela country, but also this is actually a practice by the United States -- to use force, to use so-called justice under law against any leaders in Latin America and the Caribbean waters," he said.

US cannot legitimize operation against Venezuela: Chinese scholar