The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2021 - Issue 29

biteart Speaking to New African in 2017, he also explained the reason behind the branded logos and objects in his frames. “Growing up in Morocco, recycling was normal in every household; mothers would turn cans in drinking cups. I think this is a regular practice in Africa and South America. For me, it’s natural to work with these kinds of materials and objects around me. I’m also drawn to work with cola cans and brands because I’m a Sixties child when brands were heavily pushing their names out.” Explaining further, he said, “Coca-Cola was a big name in Morocco, and it was a ‘rich men’s drink’ that we would drink when guests were coming to our house. I like the immediacy of these products. They are very eye-catching, and everyone can immediately recognise the brands and logos. I started working with these objects because I wanted to become a recognised ‘brand’ myself. I use the products in the frames to reference the repeated patterns of the ‘zellige’ ceramics that we have in Morocco.” Hassan’s photographs refer to stereotypical icons of Oriental exoticism, combined with symbols of contemporary fash- ion. Changing the interpretation of these traditional designs with recognisable western branding patterns, he added, “The frames of my photographs are an integral part of the pho- tographic viewing experience. Through the use of modern iconography to simulate Islamic mosaic patterns, the frames serve as both an invitation to the viewer and a colourful decorative context for the image itself.” His new art series, My Rockstars, depict creative figures in the colourful essence that he is renowned for. “I wanted to show my respect to individuals who inspire me and are my person- al rock stars and heroes,” he explained. “These are [the] ’every people’ who are not famous but are tremendously important individuals to me. In this series, in addition to paying respect to the individuals in the photographs, I was also inspired by African studio photographers, most notably Samuel Fosso and the legendary Malick Sidibé.” The creative has also captured international performers, in- cluding recording and visual artists like Hank Willis Thomas, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye and Cardi B, and lesser-known mu- sic bands like Arfoud Brothers and Nigerian singer-songwrit- er Keziah Jones. From the year 2000, these subjects have been photographed in colourful pop-up studios constructed from textiles and plastic mats reminiscent of Morocco, which he sets up in the streets of London, Marrakesh, Dubai, Kuwait and Paris.