HIROSHIMA.- Established in 1989 by the City of Hiroshima, site of the first atomic bombing in human history, the Hiroshima Art Prize aims to appeal to a wider world about the “Spirit of Hiroshima,” which seeks everlasting world peace, through contemporary art. The prize is awarded once every three years, and this year organizers present an exhibition by Mona Hatoum, winner of the 10th Hiroshima Art Prize, at the
Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art.
Mona Hatoum was born in Beirut to an exiled Palestinian family in 1952. While on a short visit to London in 1975, she was forced to remain in England after civil war broke out in Lebanon. Since then, Hatoum has created performances, videos, installations and sculptures that deal with a variety of social contradictions, such as the hardships of displaced people, political oppression, and gender issues based on her experience of double exile as a Palestinian.
This exhibition, Hatoum’s first comprehensive solo show in Japan, will introduce both important works from the past as well as new works that the artist created after accepting the prize and visiting Hiroshima. With new works that make reference to Hiroshima, this exhibition promises to inspire further universal concern over one of the most tragic events in human history.
Message from the artist
I accept the prize with the deepest gratitude. I am greatly honoured and humbled to be associated with the ideals of world peace for all humanity that the “Spirit of Hiroshima” stand for. Hiroshima’s experience brings to mind a very sad and low point in human history. However, the resilience and rebuilding of the city after its total annihilation, embodies the spirit of hope that inspires us all.
–Mona Hatoum
Hiroshima Art Prize
Past recipients (of Prizes 1 through 9 respectively): Issey Miyake (fashion), Robert Rauschenberg (fine art), Nancy Spero and Leon Golub (fine art), Krzysztof Wodiczko (fine art), Daniel Libeskind (architecture), Shirin Neshat (fine art), Cai Guo-Qiang (fine art), Yoko Ono (fine art), and Doris Salcedo (fine art).
