Mona Hatoum

In Mona Hatoum's breathtaking works, conflict arises from the juxtaposition of opposites--beauty and horror, desire and revulsion. Born in Beirut in 1952 to a Palestinian family, Hatoum is concerned with confrontational themes such as violence, oppression, and voyeurism, often in reference to the human body. Published to accompany a major retrospective, Mona Hatoum features the artist's major works, including well-known pieces such as Corps tranger, 1994, an endoscopic journey through the artist's body; Hot Spot, a large, cage-like globe with world contours outlined in neon; and Present Tense, which deals with the idea of shifting territories. Beautifully designed, with 250 color images, this book will prove a must for all of those interested in contemporary art, especially video art and installation.

Christine Van Assche is chief curator and curator of new media at the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Guy Brett is a London-based art critic, curator, and lecturer on art.

Edward Said was a Palestinian American literary theorist who helped found the critical-theory field of postcolonialism.