Loading ...Mona Hatoum wins Hiroshima Art Prize for works shaped by life in exile
Palestinian artist Mona Hatoum, renowned for her works reflecting her anguish after being forced to live in exile in Britain, has been chosen the 10th winner of the Hiroshima Art Prize, the city government announced Oct. 15.
Organized by the Hiroshima city government, the Hiroshima City Culture Foundation and The Asahi Shimbun, the triennial award honors artists who contribute to world peace through contemporary arts.
The 63-year-old Hatoum was born in Beirut to Palestinian parents who had fled Israel amid the deteriorating political climate.
After conflict broke out between Christians and Muslims in Lebanon in 1975, Hatoum was forced into exile in Britain where she had been staying at that time. She has since continued creating her works in London and other parts of Britain.
Hatoum’s work consists of installation art, videos and other forms that reflect her sentiments based on her circumstances of “dual exile” from Israel and Lebanon and the issues of the world.
In a statement issued by Hatoum, she said she feels honored and overwhelmed about receiving the Hiroshima Art Prize.
She also referred to the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima, saying that the devastation the city experienced during World War II reminded her of the saddest and worst of times.
However, she added, the resilience and reconstruction of Hiroshima has shown the world the embodiment of hope that inspires the human spirit.
The awards ceremony will be held around July 2017 in Hiroshima. A solo show of Hatoum’s work will be held at the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art to coincide with the presentation.
Source: ajw.asahi.com