Mona Hatoum, Balancoires en fer

1999‑2000

Monta Hatoum’s artwork title translates from French to English to mean iron or metal swings, and the artist has created swings made with razor sharp edges. Designed to evoke repulsion and fascination, these swings suggest the nostalgia of a childhood pastime undercut by a sense of horror. These contradictory effects give the work a psychological weightiness, suggestive of dreams or nightmares.