Kyoto House 1996

Curator: Lisa Milroy, born in 1959, created "Kyoto House." It's held in the Tate Collections. What captures you first about it? Editor: The sense of stillness. The stark monochrome and the meticulous detail create an almost eerie quiet. Curator: It's a house, but also a stage set. Notice the almost theatrical curtain above? And the light fixture, a lone spotlight. Editor: Yes! And the air conditioner disrupts the dream of ancient Japan, a stark reminder that the past is never truly past. It's a palimpsest. Curator: I love that—a layering of time. It’s as if Milroy is saying that history is always present, even in the most fleeting moment. Editor: It makes me wonder about what stories that building holds, visible and invisible. Curator: A quiet piece that stirs up quite a storm of thought.