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.