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In his series My Rockstars, Hassan Hajjaj pays tribute to the individuals by whom he has been artistically inspired, capturing a range of international performers from recording and visual artists such as Hank Willis Thomas, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye and Cardi B., to less known music bands like Arfoud Brothers and Nigerian singer-songwriter Keziah Jones. Since 2000, Hajjaj has photographed these figures in colorful pop-up studios constructed from textiles and plastic mats typical of Morocco and North Africa, which he sets up in the streets of London, Marrakesh, Dubai, Kuwait and Paris. Outfits designed or styled by the artist, including custom suits, shoes and hats, pop with loud colors and dazzling patterns, empowering his subjects to explore larger-than-life personas before the camera. Each portrait is bordered with a custom handcrafted frame outfitted with miniature shelves and actual consumer products, such as cans of tomato sauce, car paint tins and soda cans, often with Arabic logos. The products are chosen for their origins, names, content as well as colors and aesthetics. The uninterrupted border of commercial packaging and corporate logos mimics, with irreverent Warholian flair, the repetitive motifs framing traditional Islamic mosaics and offers clues about the subject of each photograph.
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Featured Artworks:
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Hassan Hajjaj's VOGUE: The Arab Issue commands attention, setting vibrant portraiture inside a world of bold colors, varied textures, and frenzied patterns. These photographs challenge the viewer through an eclectic confrontation of styles, inviting them to re-examine cultural stereotypes and cliches. For these shoots, the artist cast local women, who posed wearing his creations – traditional Moroccan djellabas, hijabs, caftans, and babouches covered with candy-colored polka dots, leopard prints, or counterfeit brand logos – in the streets of the Medina, often parodying the poses typical of Western models. The photographs are dated with two different years, one from the Western calendar (such as 2000), followed by one from the Islamic calendar (1421).
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Featured Artworks:
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Photo credit: Jenny Fremont
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Related Content
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Meet Hassan Hajjaj
Watch a video, presented by Art Dubai in partnership with BMW, where the artist shares the story of his practice
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Learn More about the Artist
Visit Hassan Hajjaj's artist page on our website to learn more about his work
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Learn More about the Exhibition
Visit SCAD's website for more information on his exhibiition 1444, which on view through July 3, 2023
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