Detail
Mona Hatoum's installation Suspended is a room densely packed with red and black wooden swings, appearing like a floating archipelago of islands chained to the ceiling. On closer inspection, each of these 35 swings has the street map of a capital city carved into its seat, randomly chosen from each of the six continents of the world. Each swing is hung at an oblique angle to its neighbour, creating a sense of geographical dislocation rather than geographical connection, alluding perhaps to the constant flux of migrant communities across the world that shape the contemporary experience of our cities. The swings are constantly in motion as visitors circulate in and around the space and continue gently rocking even after they’ve left, lending the work an eerie and distinct sense of unease.
