Variations on Discord and Divisions

Description:

Mona Hatoum’s performance Variations on Discord and Divisions delved into themes of voyeurism, violence, and oppression to offer a visceral exploration of human suffering. Clad in coveralls and a black balaclava, Hatoum began by crawling across the floor of the Grand Luxe Hall, maneuvering between rows of spectators. The set in the Grand Luxe Hall was covered in newspaper and plastic, crinkling as Hatoum dragged her body to the stage towards a hanging bucket that was full of red liquid. Hatoum’s movements and gestures—which included spilling the red liquid across the stage, futilely attempting to sit at a table, and repeatedly collapsing to the floor—conveyed a dismal vision of human effort. 

At the climax of the performance, Hatoum used a knife to slice open her balaclava before butchering pieces of raw kidney pulled from beneath her clothes, evoking the illusion of serving her own intestines on white dinner plates. These actions were accompanied by sharp zapping sounds that increased in volume as the lights went out. The performance concluded with projected photographs of refugee camps, protests, and famine, which cycled in a slideshow to the sound of a newscast describing accounts of devastation, oppression, and violence.

Video documentation is available upon request.