Mona Hatoum - Family

Family

As she grew up, her family did not support her desire to pursue art. “When I was a teenager and we were discussing my future and I mentioned that I wanted to become an artist he (her father) categorically refused to send me to art school, because he said he wanted me to do something that will get me a real job, and that was the end of the conversation.” She continued to draw throughout her childhood, though, illustrating her work from poetry or science class. “I remember that I used to spend a lot of time actually perfecting these drawings, and I felt extremely encouraged when on one occasion for instance the teacher showed one of my drawings to the whole class and said this is a masterpiece. So I mean that's the, all the encouragement I got as a child towards you know becoming an artist.”