Ema Shin Presents Monumental Embroidered Heart Sculpture at Sydney Biennial
Artist Ema Shin unveils a large-scale textile sculpture titled 'Hearts of Absent Women (Tree of Family)' at the 2026 Biennale of Sydney. The work represents an expanded version of her signature embroidered heart forms, featuring intricate stitching, beads, and pearls that create anatomical details. Suspended in the exhibition space, the piece maintains the tactile quality of her smaller works while operating at installation scale. The project honors women historically omitted from family records, drawing from Shin's personal experience in a traditional Korean family where only male descendants were documented. Through embroidery and textile techniques, she celebrates domestic labor and crafts traditionally associated with women.
Key facts
- Ema Shin debuts a monumental embroidered heart sculpture at the 2026 Biennale of Sydney
- The work belongs to her ongoing series 'Hearts of Absent Women (Tree of Family)'
- The sculpture uses red and white textiles with dense embroidery, beads, and pearls to create anatomical forms
- Shin's practice responds to family records that excluded women, celebrating domestic crafts and female labor
- The installation scales up her typical small textile works while preserving handmade qualities
Entities
Artists
- Ema Shin
Institutions
Locations
- Sydney