Mona Hatoum Designs illy Art Collection with Keffiyeh Motif

Mona Hatoum has created the latest illy Art Collection for illycaffè, featuring limited-edition coffee cans decorated with keffiyeh patterns in red, black, and silver. The collection launched in fall 2021 at Frieze London, FIAC Paris, and Artissima. Hatoum's design draws on the traditional Arab headscarf's fishnet grid and olive leaf motifs, which she describes as symbols of Palestinian nationalism, resilience, and peace. The artist has used keffiyeh patterns in previous works, from human hair to chain links. illycaffè CEO Massimiliano Pogliani praised Hatoum's authentic interpretation of the social function of coffee. The illy Art Collection program began in 1992, featuring artists such as Marina Abramović, Michelangelo Pistoletto, Louise Bourgeois, Marc Quinn, and Ai Weiwei. Hatoum, known for her installations, sculptures, video, and works on paper, has exhibited at the Venice Biennale (1995, 2005) and Documenta (2002, 2017). She has received the Joan Miró Prize (2011), Hiroshima Art Prize (2017), and Praemium Imperiale (2019).