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| - Years ago, I lived downtown for a time and I can't imagine Pittsburgh without the Mattress Factory. It's the reason I keep coming back to this wonderfully-rooted and gritty city.
The site-specific installations set this series of spaces on the city's north side apart from so many other art venues across the country. The permanent installations by Yayoi Kusama and James Turrell (who had a spectacular 2013 with his installations in the US and Europe) are always worth experiencing again.
One delicate installation that has taken over the entire 516 Sampsonia building is, unfortunately, a temporary one. Chiharu Shiota has attempted to illuminate memories within and of this old multistory house by using thousands of yards of black yarn to weave cobwebs throughout the interior. The tangle of yarn, in some areas so thick it's difficult to see through it, separates the viewer from the objects she has placed in each of the rooms, including a desk, suitcases, a bed, chairs, a sewing machine, and a beautiful white dress. On a cold December afternoon, going from room to room and floor to floor of this incredibly elegant tapestry -- that's what it really is -- was like wading through dreams. Take your time because it's a haunting experience that should be engaged alone and in silence. I can't think of a better introduction to the Mattress Factory. It's on view until 31 May 2014.
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