Mona Hatoum
Cube (9x9x9), 2008
Black finished steel
71 x 71 x 71 inches
The Ethel Morrison Van Derlip Fund

Everything about Cube (9x9x9), from its imposing physical presence to its construction of barbed wire, seems threatening and dangerous. Mona Hatoum's use of a provocative material in this piece reflects her belief that content should be conveyed through aesthetic and formal elements. She rejects the connection frequently made between her work and her birth in Lebanon to Palestinian parents. "I come from a background of war and all that unconsciously feeds into the work, but I am not trying to illustrate my personal experience," she explained. "It is more abstract than this. It is about presenting the audience with a set of objects and materials that may have certain associations and may bring out general feelings of discomfort or uncertainty and this will be different for each person."