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The reduced, minimal form of Divan Bed and the cage-like structure of the cot become oppressive emblems of imprisonment and violence. By replacing a mattress with thin wires, and wheelchair handles with knives, the artist adds an element of real threat. Hatoum's work is rooted in her own history as an exile. She was born into a Palestinian family living in Beirut and was visiting London when war broke out in Lebanon in 1975. Unable to return, the sense of displacement she felt was amplified by conflicting emotions of welcome and hostility, safety and frustration. |
