Coinciding with the exhibition, Yossi Milo is excited to share an Online Viewing Room of Hassan Hajjaj's work:
Hassan Hajjaj's solo exhibition 1444 is currently on view at SCAD Museum of Art. Referring to the current year of the Hijri calendar, 1444 provides a sweeping overview of Hajjaj’s work, including key elements from his series My Rockstars and VOGUE: The Arab Issue. The exhibition will be on view at the museum through July 3, 2023.
From SCAD Museum of Art: "Hassan Hajjaj’s photographs present a vast array of stylistic references, reflecting the amalgamation of influences that make up both his home country of Morocco and the United Kingdom where he currently resides. Hajjaj’s models don bright colors and are set by the artist within environments of clashing patterns. The portraits are often shot on playful makeshift backdrops positioned outside of his London store, Larache Shop, resulting in maximalist mises-en-scène. Each work is arranged in a custom frame consisting of niches that contain various commercial goods like tea boxes or cans of harissa, a Pop Art nod to the various brands and products that are intrinsically tied to cultural identity.
The exhibition presents work from two series, My Rockstars and Vogue: The Arab Issue alongside select garments that appear in these photographs. In My Rockstars, Hajjaj photographs friends, artists, and performers around the world — from British painter Lynette Yiadom-Boakye to American rap superstar Cardi B — in patterned sets consisting of textiles typical of North Africa. In Vogue: The Arab Issue, models wear garments — like caftans, babouches, and hijabs — sourced from the local markets where they are photographed, yielding images that embrace Islamic culture while challenging Western stereotypes and beauty biases."
For more information, please visit the museum's website.
