Book Description
Each of Mona Hatoum's works can be read as a formula for human existence, expressed in a penetrating visual language that is both complex and puzzling. As the artist herself points out, "Ones first experience of a work of art is physical. I appreciate works that have sensual as well as intellectual impact. Meanings, connotations, and associations begin to emerge only after the initial physical experience, when the imagination, the intellect, and the psyche are ignited by what one has seen." The daughter of Palestinian parents, Hatoum has long been regarded in Great Britain and the U.S. as one of the most important artists of her generation. Born in Lebanon in 1952 and a resident of London since 1975, her sensitivity to themes of power and identity has been heightened by a life lived outside her homeland. Many of her objects, video pieces, and installations deal with aspects of institutionalized violence and the vulnerability of the individual; her central point of reference is the body, in many cases her own. This is the first book to document the full breadth of Mona Hatoum's oeuvre, up to and including her most recent projects. Essays by Christoph Heinrich, Volker Adolphs, Richard Julin, Ursula Panhans-Büler, and Nina Zimmer. Hardcover, 8.5 x 10.5 in. / 144 pgs / 70 color and 50 b&w.
Language Notes
Text: French
Mona Hatoum FROM THE PUBLISHER
This is the first book to document the development of Mona Hatoum's oeuvre and includes a presentation of her performances from her early works to her most recent projects. All of her works can be read as formulas for human existence - expressed in a compelling visual language that is both multi-faceted and intriguing.
ACCREDITATION
Mona Hatoum was born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1952 and came to London in 1975. She was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 1995 and has had solo exhibitions at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, Castello di Rivoli in Turin, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, and Tate Britain, among others. She recently curated Artist's Choice at The Museum of Modern Art, New York.