From Worry Beads to Prayer Mat

Worry Beads, 2009

Mona Hatoum

On my recent Chelsea Gallery trip last Friday, I came upon this cannonball size bronze prayer beads at the Alexander and Bonin Gallery. I had heard of Mona Hatoum before, but I am surprised at actually never having seen any of her work in person. Especially when I notice the intense amount of incredible work that she has presented so far.

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Measures of Entanglement/Undercurrent (red) 2008-

Ph. Oak Taylor Smith_UCCA

Mona Hatoum was born in Beirut, Lebanon in 1952 but ended up staying in London after Civil War broke out in 1975. She began as a performance artist but gradually moved through fields of installations, video and sculptures.

Homebound, (installation) 2002

"Your first experience of a work of art is physical," says Hatoum. "I like the work to operate on both the sensual and intellectual levels. Meanings, connotations and associations come after the initial physical experience as your imagination and intellect are fired by what you have seen."  - From Egodesign.ca

Traffic 2002

When you look at Hatoum´s work you gradually will notice what she is most known for. She brings otherwise normal objects out to the public and then overexposes it to make them almost unfamiliar and at times frightening. She demands the viewer to rethink the "normal".

Hot Spot III, 2009

Interior Landscapes, Pallazo Querini Stampalia

Stainless steel and neon tube

I began with the worry beads and will end with the Prayer Mat, I guess "praying" for more. I definitely have "blood on my teeth" the more I see and read about Mona Hatoum the more I want. 

When will she have a Solo Show in New York that I can attend, I wonder?

Prayer Mat, 1995

British Council, London

With Love

Kristin