Mark Handforth
b. 1969, Hong Kong
Copper Hanger, 2012
Tin, copper, concrete
182.9 x 152.4 x 30.5 cm
The hanger is one of Mark Handforth’s most revisited motifs in sculpture and installations, given its easily malleable frame that allows the artist to recreate various forms. This was especially so with Yankee Hanger (2013), a large-scale installation on Governor’s Island in New York. Here, Copper Hanger sees the hanger motif as a smaller sculptural work, but still larger than a life-sized hanger. The hanger thus becomes too large for clothes to be hung, along with its uncoated copper material which could even cause metal stains on clothing. However, the copper’s reflective quality is ideal for capturing light, and this is further exemplified by the hanger’s pose: Handforth bends and manipulates the shape of the hanger such that it is able to perch gracefully on a concrete pedestal, arching upwards towards the light. The hanger thus seems to carry life of its own beyond its served function, evoking a sense of whimsy and play as viewers are encouraged to reimagine various possibilities of what a hanger could be and do.
Mark Handforth (b. 1969) is an American artist who uses the sculptural vocabulary of urban areas and everyday elements to reshape our perception of the world. By remodelling, resizing, and recontextualising the forms of quotidian objects, Handforth strips them of their original purpose and creates new points of reference. While Handforth’s forms appear defunct and defeated, there remains an undeniable elegance to his intricate craftsmanship, imbuing his works with a wry humour and an endearing pathos. The artist’s practice also carries a post-punk flavour as he highlights the utilitarian minimalism of urban streetscapes, incorporating materials such as spray-painted metals, burning candles, and neon light. Handforth’s pieces have appeared in exhibitions worldwide, including solo presentations and outdoor public sculptures at the Museo d’Arte Contemporanea (2016), Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (2011), Dallas Museum of Art (2007), Kunsthaus Zürich (2005); and the Hammer Museum, Los Angeles (2002).