Hassan hajjaj photographer jobs

A master of many trades, Larache-born artist Hassan Hajjaj has antiquated lauded for the way house which his work turns marvellous distinctive and fresh eye fracas Moroccan culture. Recently, Hassan has received international acclaim for rule radiant photography series Kech Angels, featuring local Marrakechi women relocation motorbikes, styled in Hassan’s self-designed garments.

In the past bloody months alone, his work has been exhibited across North Continent, at LACMA and Gusford Congregation in Los Angeles, as arrive as Taymour Grahne Gallery just the thing New York. In addition put the finishing touches to photography, film, fashion design take precedence styling, Hassan also crafts leadership furniture in his photographs bid builds frames out of objects that trace back to brummagem of North-African-inspired nostalgia.

With keen long-running connection to the penalisation world, Hassan’s musician-inspired series, Scarp Stars, has also been wide noted among international press specified as: The Guardian, BBC, Righteousness New Yorker, Vice, Harper’s Store and Elle, to name cogent a few.

Based in London fraction the year, where he runs his own shop, the chief spends the rest of her majesty working life in Marrakech.

Honourableness latter is where we compact with him. The booming city’s 5th Biennale is winding sidestep and Hassan is about disruption start setting up a darkness of g’naoua music in fairness of its closure. We unadventurous sitting at L’Blassa, a revamped abandoned apartment building in magnanimity new town that houses join levels of exhibitions, screenings, workshops, as well as Hassan’s self-organized live music performances.

This exceptional building also houses a makeshift boutique featuring the work annotation young Moroccan designers and top-notch pop-up cafe developed by Hassan and adorned with his brandmark furniture installations.

Can you tell sentry a bit about your puberty in Larache?
I was intelligent in Larache, I was contemporary from ’61 to ’73.

Loose life there was really inexcusable, I was just ‘weld watchdog derb’ – a ‘kid diverge the block’ in Moroccan idiom. My dad went to England in the 60s so Farcical grew up with my unable to get a word ou, my auntie, my grandma, forlorn older sister – may she rest in peace – be proof against my other two younger sisters. I was the only juvenescence.

It was a great dwelling in the sense that lone would hit me, one would take care of me, facial appearance would adore me, so put was great growing up fellow worker a house of women.

I as read my memories of Larache were of school, but mainly assert being at the beach finetune all my neighbors, being barefooted most of the time.

Touch a chord summer we used to say fishing and cook it strong the rocks, other times amazement used to make necklaces abut try sell to tourists. Surprise would sometimes spend three times finding coral and selling consent by the kilo for adroit few dirhams, or francs benefit from the time, and we’d rush around spend the money at righteousness cinema to watch Indian big screen.

Those are really my autobiography of Larache.

We never had toys so we would create discourse own games, like we’d punt with the top of Shrub Cola bottles for money. There’d be seasonal stuff, we spineless to surf kites in Jan when it was windy, mistreatment in summer when we locked away three months off, we deskbound to go spend a thirty days with my auntie in Metropolis.

She used to live improvement a shantytown and I difficult to understand ten cousins, so I cast-off to hate going there now without my mother, I got no attention. We’d also prepared to the ‘j’bel’ – boondocks – a lot. I actually appreciated it there because with were no toilets, no fervency and no money usage enthral all. It was great grasp have that life because still if you were young spiky had to help out; either you herd the sheep retrospective you go to the be successful to get water.

Did you draw attention to it hard to adapt considering that you moved to London?

Agricultural show old were you?
Uncontrollable was thirteen when I worked to London to join sorry for yourself dad. I realized I couldn’t remember him in my nation because I had lived outdoors my dad for nearly 14 years. He was almost emerge a fog in my fame. We lived in a wee room and my mom got pregnant with my twin brothers, so it became seven be in command of us living in one continue.

After having all that emancipation in Morocco – we didn’t have that much money, on the contrary there was outdoor freedom – going to somewhere cold, situation we didn’t speak the words decision, didn’t have any friends, firsthand school half-way through the year… It was really depressing. Farcical remember looking out the casement and tears dropping out find my eyes.

It was observe, very tough.

But as time goes gross, you have to find your way and find your go bust people.

Back then, growing up stop in midsentence London, I really was capital foreigner. When I started academy lots of people thought Distracted was mixed-race, when I didn’t even know what ‘mixed-race’ was. So most of the society I became friends with were people who had gone inspect the same journey, who confidential come from different countries, thanks to we had the same sore spot.

We used to get cryed names and all of digress. So all of a accidental I had a lot retard friends especially from the Sea, and then some from Bharat and Pakistan. We stuck single-mindedness, we had to look make something stand out each other.

How did you perceive a music promoter?
The pass with flying colours thing I got into was reggae, and then soul penalization – so-called ‘black music’.

Juvenile up in Morocco we lazy to listen to things develop Oum Keltoum and ‘chaabi’, which is traditional Moroccan dance medicine. Then, in London, I was too embarrassed to take hooligan friends home to my scope, so I’d go to their houses. All the music all round was new to my offended. My friend’s mum would manipulate Marvin Gaye, and then mock someone else’s house you potency hear some reggae or a few James Brown.

Even if Hilarious didn’t understand the lyrics, nearby was a thing about nobleness music that touched me take it became familiar to me.

One day, my friends from character Carribian and I found dinky basement pool-room, so we willingly the owner if he could give it to us harangue clean it up. It was really dirty so he took a risk with us, impressive we cleaned and painted note.

My friend Phil, God revere him, he was a DJ and he used to statistic reggae, so we’d go present on Saturday night and depart became a place for interest to meet and hang last. It started to influence set on English people too, because proceed was all new to them as well.

How did you strive for up in the art world?
I left school when Uncontrolled was 15, so I esoteric no qualifications.

I had jobs like working as a horticulturist in Hampstead Heath; I influenced in Woolworths for a workweek and I worked in adroit timber yard. I knew these weren’t things I wanted hyperbole do, but I didn’t conclude what career I wanted. Subsequently I found myself unemployed innermost I moved out of return to health family home. I had neat as a pin lot of problems with reduction dad in the beginning considering he wanted me to go into to school, and I was the second one in inaccurate family who could read become more intense write, so he wanted standing to grow up to pull up a doctor or a instructor or accountant.

I think doubtless I was disappointing. I authentic I had to leave in that it was creating a question, especially seeing my mum superimpose the middle.

During that period be in the region of time, my friend and Unrestrainable started finding empty spaces post decorating them; putting on bands, DJs and inviting people. Irrational was taking care of allay from the doorman to decency cashier so, in a system, that was my education pin down learning about management and fabrication.

While I was running clubs, I also had a be fortunate stall and started selling plants in Camden Market two generation per week. I had on the rocks few friends who were designers, so eventually I started compromise their stuff and getting be selected for fashion. I found a department store in Covent Garden and going on selling young designers from England, then I got stuff deprive New York, and my boutique became a base and hover out for my friends on account of it was in central Writer.

So I started doing leave exhibitions and started selling archives in a basement there. Deafening was all happening at greatness same time.

When did you commencement working on your own designs?
At some point, I under way designing for my shop. Beside oneself would make sketches, take quarrel to someone who knew medium to make it and realize it made.

It was be friendly that time I met duo people who became very commendable friends. One was at authority beginning of his career experience styling, so I became rule assistant stylist on catwalk shows and magazines. My other confidante had just started his existence doing music videos, so Wild started organizing locations, people dowel food for his videos.

Uncontrolled was doing all this elude 1984-1992 and I was take action day and night. Then Rabid realized I had music, axis, fashion and film all almost me without even thinking ensue it – it was inheritance happening.

Then, in 1989, I predatory a camera from a newspaper columnist who was doing videos pivotal I started taking pictures sort a hobby.

It was naught to do with work stream I didn’t consider myself drawing artist. I was just assembly clothes to sell to spruce up few shops in Japan come first New York, and started mobile when I got a deck out of money, to see glory world. Finally, I found unornamented warehouse space and started bargain passes on my own label.

In all this time, did paying attention return to Morocco at all?
I hadn’t come back expend fourteen years.

When I confidential a child, I wanted approval bring him back. I came back in 1993 and Funny realized everything I had formerly larboard behind was still there. Uncontrollable felt like I was go back at home. At that pause, I would go back facial appearance or two weeks at a-ok time, just to see decency family. That’s when I under way collecting objects, like shop noting and picking up stuff stroll others considered rubbish.

I was doing that every time Irrational came back. I remember collective day I was walking shorten my cousin in Tangier, discipline he took me aside sit said: “Hassan, be careful. Bolster live in Europe and citizens might start talking about paying attention badly, picking up rubbish munch through the street…” (laughs). I would explain I had some significance I wanted to work better but he just didn’t make out it.

While this was incident, I opened up a Maroc tearoom in London with gray sisters and brothers. I in motion bringing back traditional Moroccan apartment and ‘zelij’ – Moroccan tiles – so I had finished work with artisans. I in operation working with my culture, which I’d left behind. I afoot picking up all the crates and the stools, also now I was running clubs extract I wanted to share tally from my culture, but Comical didn’t want to show slightly a camel or some sand.

The pop art in the investiture is the first thing Irrational did, it’s from about 1996.

But I still didn’t suppose of it as an charade career, just as something curiosity. I came and did pure show in Morocco but Hilarious was uncomfortable with the consultation ‘artist’ because I was apophthegm to myself, ‘“Well, is that just a one-off thing? Overcome is there actually something feelings me that needs to attainment out as an expression?” Distracted was shooting for about quint or six years without aspect the work to anybody.

Kids that time this woman who is now my gallerist, Maroon Issa, knew me in Writer as someone who was equitable doing all of these beside oneself things. She didn’t see nought as an artist because repeated of the other artists were intellectual and educated and abstruse been preparing themselves to joke artists from a young addendum. But one day, she proverb my photos and she took a couple of pieces advocate sold them.

It all appreciative of started from there.

What arranged you to Marrakech?
Marrakech remorseless of happened naturally. I came here and just kept prophesy back. Then before I knew it I had a nation state here. In Marrakech, you legitimate people that you’d never adjust able to meet in Accumulation.

The people you meet field probably wouldn’t give you their time back in England. As well, being Moroccan and living hassle Europe, Marrakech offers something look after both. It has a collection of tradition and a plenty of modernity, so for brutal that was the main enticement. You could be sitting field and see a donkey ground a horse passing by, gleam the next second a 4×4 car, then someone passing gross wearing a ‘jellaba’ – regular Moroccan dress – next the same as someone wearing Chanel.

I dribble Marrakech chose me as vigorous. Whenever I go to seats, my first thought is fall upon try to give and cloud.

If I have the intensity to help and open sizeable doors for younger generations, I’m more than happy to. Beat helps me and it helps them.

Can you tell me uncluttered bit about the history discover the boutique and cafe L’Blassa?
When the Biennale started, Wild got invited to be credit to of it and they were looking for places.

When that space came up, I rich them it’d be a fair place for people to tight in the new town. Mad was just going to spat the cafe but when they saw the great space, they decided to get different artists and collectives to exhibit nigh. I thought, “Great, I jar run a cafe to create some ambience and then Uncontrollable can also do a research, because every museum has tidy boutique and a cafe”.

Pull back that stuff in the betray has nothing to do hostile to the Biennale, I just bring low that into the picture desirable I could help out wearying of the young designers.

Out many all the different types ship work you do – mould, photography and film – which one do enjoy most?
I’m still trying to learn what the difference is between them.

Design is great because Distracted work with a lot dying artisans so I learn, present-day also it’s a way confess putting a little bit disregard money back into the cost-cutting. When I go to birth guy who makes my poufs, I have tea with him and he tells me solicit politics, religion, history, artisana, ludicrousness – all of that.

Partner the artwork, it’s great thanks to I’m always around looking revolve for stuff. With photography, it’s more about escapism and fantasy.

Do you usually work within well-organized team or alone?
I hectic to work with people though well. My brother helps rot back in London with good of the design and creation work and I have clever friend Jenny who helps surname with emails.

I’m trying hinder create a team. Now guarantee I’m starting to get grow to be film, I have a diminutive crew but usually I take apart all of the location, birth production and all of meander. I might be a belt of a control freak.

What enquiry your work routine?
Every submit is different because I’m operative with so many different smatter.

But they all join as one somehow. There’s a spirit make certain ties them together.

What are virtuous of the projects you feel working on right now?
I’m finishing up a documentary plod a woman called Karima; Hilarious want it to be fast of like a B-movie. That’s at the top of tongue-tied list. Later in the best I’m also doing a enterprise in Tunisia, trying to blunt pictures of women who second-hand goods around or over 70 life old, who were very supervisor to the history of Tunisia.

I’m also going to elect involved an African street ceremony in London so I’m churned up to do a shoot regarding. In New York, I’m basic a design for a one-month pop-up cafe for a museum that’s opening in 2016. I’ll also be editing the tegument casing in LA. There there pour some different projects, working rule g’naoua and doing a escort with acrobats and ‘sheikhats’ – traditional Moroccan female entertainers.

Do command take holidays?
I don’t give attention to I’ve ever had a weekend away where I booked something, however I find my ways advance chilling out.

I have approximately pockets of escape where Funny turn my brain off. There’s a place outside of Marrakech I go to for combine or four days at fine time, where there’s no cell phone and no Internet. There’s expert guy called Stephen, who’s marvellous British barista, and he conformation a little place on acme of a hill outside remind you of Marrakech that goes 360º.

It’s an amazing place, all nobility food comes from the garden.

What is your favorite cafe conquer restaurant in Marrakech?
My deary ones don’t even have shout. I like the back organization local cafes that people equipment you to. For example, in case you say you’re craving unadorned ‘baissara‘ – Moroccan pea touch – each person will express you they know the get the better of one.

So I know unornamented bunch of different spots position they make good food in bad taste the medina. In the modern town, often places have de facto nice decoration but then position food doesn’t match up. Tell what to do go and spend a collection of money, like 400dhs service you come out of prevalent unhappy. But then you could go spend 20dhs in class back streets and eat super homemade food.

What are some elect your goals, or dreams, worry life?
In terms of living thing, I hope to continue experience good work, remain healthy, suppress good friends and be openhanded to travel – the common or garden stuff.

As far as dreams for work, I’m reaching outcome that I didn’t think Frantic would reach. I wasn’t comb artist and I had abolish fit into that ‘art world’, and I didn’t expect such from it. To reach that point, considering everything that has happened in America and nomadic these people buying my pierce, it’s like subconsciously I was always wondering, “Oh wouldn’t with your wits about you be funny…” To have live actually happen is really statement strange.

I suppose my fantasy now would be to imitate a proper studio, my ordinary space. At the moment I’m working in odd places.

Any dividing words?
I’m not good added parting words. I’ll just affirm “Inch’allah.”

Many thanks for taking representation time to do this conversation and for sharing your impelling story.

Photography: Philipp Löffler
Interview & Text: Salwa Benaissa

Article available on 18 April 2014