“Chiharu Shiota‘s ‘The Key in the Hand’ is an elaborate entanglement of red wool and keys that dangle above two ancient looking boats. The installation was located within the Venice Biennale’s Japan pavilion in 2015, nearly blocking out the ceiling with its mass of crossing strings. It includes a collection of more than 50,000 keys. The piece points towards memory through its composition and materials – the keys were collected from thousands of people around the world.”
I can’t help but think how this artwork embodies the Nakba and the refugee crisis we are witnessing right now.