Untitled (Wheelchair II) 1999

Mona Hatoum created this *Untitled (Wheelchair II)* sculpture using stainless steel and rubber. At first glance, it’s a seemingly functional object, but the cold, hard materiality of the steel renders it immobile. It can’t perform its intended purpose. The material has imbued the work with a feeling of austerity, the rigid metal contrasting sharply with the rubber, the only flexible element of the piece. Hatoum's choice of industrial material and its fabrication references the normalization of disability, prompting us to reflect on the care, labor, and politics involved in the production and consumption of medical equipment. Stainless steel suggests a certain functionality and hygiene, yet, by rendering the chair unusable, Hatoum highlights the limitations and alienation that those who use wheelchairs may experience. By manipulating a common object with materiality, Hatoum challenges our perceptions and expectations, transforming the mundane into a powerful statement about the body, society, and the built environment.