We loved hearing about this in 2019, but never had time to go and see it. Now we can, thanks to v21artspace who beautifully captured the exhibition in 3D.
‘The Path’ by Hassan Hajjaj, was at Nottingham’s New Art Exchange and presented a unique view of culture and identity in our globalised world. Born in Morocco, Hajjaj moved to Britain aged 12 and works between both countries.
Hajjaj’s work features a vivid expression of colour, pattern, repurposed logos and objects. Signs, symbols and people sit without hierarchy, ignoring the tired Eurocentric worldview. In the Main Gallery you will see the ‘My Rock Stars’ collection, including film and photo portraits depicting Hajjaj’s inspirational figures from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds. The above image is a portrait of Marc Hare a London-based shoe designer.
Collectively, Hajjaj weaves a tapestry of modern Britain, focusing on figures whose family origins mostly lie abroad, conjuring a vision of a society united, a sentiment we can all find comfort in during these times.
We love how Hajjaj’s portraits so perfectly evoke a sense of hybridity and multiculturalism. In his work, cultural identity is fluid and multiple rather than fixed and singular, or even layered.
Hassan Hajjaj: ‘The Path’, curated by Ekow Eshun and produced by New Art Exchange.
Image: Marc Hare for Hajjaj’s My Rockstars series, 2013