Journal of Art and Civilization of the Orient

Identity and Resistance: An Analysis of Mona Hatoum’s “Light Sentence” Installation through the Lens of Foucault’s Panopticism Theory

https://doi.org/10.22034/jaco.2025.504021.1450
Volume 13, Issue 49
Autumn 2025
Pages 44-53
Journal of Art and Civilization of the Orient

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Majid Asadi Farsani
Razieh Mokhtari Dehkordi

Department of Graphic Design, Faculty of Arts, Shahrekord University, Iran.

Abstract
“Light Sentence” (1992) by Mona Hatoum, a Palestinian-British artist, employs visual and symbolic elements to represent concepts of surveillance, identity, and resistance within the Palestinian experience. However, analyses applying Michel Foucault’s panopticism theory to this work remain limited. This research addresses three questions: 1) How do the installation’s visual/symbolic elements convey identity and resistance? 2) How does Foucault’s panopticism elucidate surveillance mechanisms in this work? 3) How does Hatoum’s lived experience as an exiled Palestinian manifest in this piece? Using visual-analytical methodology, data was collected through qualitative analysis of the work’s visual elements (metal mesh cages, moving light, shifting shadows) and related documents. Analysis integrated Foucault’s panoptic framework with visual symbolism interpretation. Results indicate the mesh cages metaphorize territorial occupation and identity constraints, while the moving light symbolizes pervasive military surveillance. Viewer movement through the cages and interaction with dynamic shadows recreates symbolic resistance rooted in Hatoum’s exile. This installation links Palestinian identity to a global critique of power structures, prompting viewers to reconsider contemporary human conditions. The study offers novel insights into contemporary art’s role in critiquing power and representing resistance.

Keywords

Mona Hatoum
Light Sentence
Foucault’s Panopticism
Palestinian Identity
Resistance
Michel Foucault
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