{"id":86739,"date":"2021-02-19T12:12:35","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T12:12:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/?p=86739"},"modified":"2021-02-19T12:25:36","modified_gmt":"2021-02-19T12:25:36","slug":"hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the motley crew of rock stars representing Hassan Hajjaj’s London calling"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":86743,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11856,139],"tags":[16002,4983,16003],"class_list":["post-86739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sleek-art","category-art","tag-ekow-eshun","tag-hassan-hajjaj","tag-my-rock-stars"],"acf":{"main_category":139,"legacy":false,"exclude_from_ads":[],"hero_title":"","subtitle":"The Larache-born Londoner's continuous portrait series 'My Rock Stars', is an ode to the captivating figures of \u201cone of the most cosmopolitan, international cities in the world\". \u2014 By Ekow Eshun","hero":{"video":false,"image":false,"header_color":"black","overlay_color":"","overlay_text_color":"black"},"teasers":{"video":false,"image":{"ID":86743,"id":86743,"title":"Helen, The Venus Bushfire-_DSC0225","filename":"Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","filesize":1036745,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars\/helen-the-venus-bushfire-_dsc0225\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"THE VENUS BUSHFIRE - Performance \"Love Our Lovers\". \n\nNigerian-born, London-based singer, songwriter, composer and musician Helen Parker-Jayne Isibor is the only permanent member of creative collective The Venus Bushfires. Exploring the ethereal sounds of the hang, the power of the talking drum and the quirks found through cross-fertilising children\u00b4s toys, their work spans multiple visual and musical styles. Self-described as Neo Afro Folk, Isibor combines avant-garde, psychedelic, tribal and meditative arts, inspired y seventies musical pioneers such as Fela Kuti.","name":"helen-the-venus-bushfire-_dsc0225","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86739,"date":"2020-12-04 11:08:51","modified":"2021-02-16 09:34:02","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1492,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","thumbnail-width":75,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","medium-width":1492,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","medium_large-width":1492,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","large-width":1492,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","1536x1536-width":1194,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","2048x2048-width":1492,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-1592x2048.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1592,"wpvr_mobile-height":2048}},"width":"6","proportion":"natural"},"facebook_image":{"ID":86743,"id":86743,"title":"Helen, The Venus Bushfire-_DSC0225","filename":"Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","filesize":1036745,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars\/helen-the-venus-bushfire-_dsc0225\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"THE VENUS BUSHFIRE - Performance \"Love Our Lovers\". \n\nNigerian-born, London-based singer, songwriter, composer and musician Helen Parker-Jayne Isibor is the only permanent member of creative collective The Venus Bushfires. Exploring the ethereal sounds of the hang, the power of the talking drum and the quirks found through cross-fertilising children\u00b4s toys, their work spans multiple visual and musical styles. Self-described as Neo Afro Folk, Isibor combines avant-garde, psychedelic, tribal and meditative arts, inspired y seventies musical pioneers such as Fela Kuti.","name":"helen-the-venus-bushfire-_dsc0225","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86739,"date":"2020-12-04 11:08:51","modified":"2021-02-16 09:34:02","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1492,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","thumbnail-width":75,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","medium-width":1492,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","medium_large-width":1492,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","large-width":1492,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","1536x1536-width":1194,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","2048x2048-width":1492,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-1592x2048.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1592,"wpvr_mobile-height":2048}},"related_articles":"","next_article":"","content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":86745,"id":86745,"title":"Luzmira-_DSC0137","filename":"Luzmira-_DSC0137-e1607080641671.jpg","filesize":1156313,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Luzmira-_DSC0137-e1607080641671.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars\/luzmira-_dsc0137\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"LUZMIRE ZERPA - Performing \"El dia que yo me case\" (\"The day i get married\"), a venezuelan merengue from the album Family Atlantica released with Soundway Records. \r\n\r\nSinger, singwriter, dancer and healer Luzmira Zerpa is the lead singer of the collective Family Atlantica. Now based in London, Zerpa explores the local musical traditions of her childhood in Venezuela through the group\u00b4s musical voyage. The group\u00b4s eclectic sound has taken inspiration from Ghana, Senegal, Cuba and Ethiopia, as well as drawing on Zerpa\u00b4s South American roots.","name":"luzmira-_dsc0137","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86739,"date":"2020-12-04 11:09:19","modified":"2021-02-16 09:38:58","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1379,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Luzmira-_DSC0137-e1607080641671.jpg","thumbnail-width":69,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Luzmira-_DSC0137-e1607080641671.jpg","medium-width":1379,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Luzmira-_DSC0137-e1607080641671.jpg","medium_large-width":1379,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Luzmira-_DSC0137-e1607080641671.jpg","large-width":1379,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Luzmira-_DSC0137-e1607080641671.jpg","1536x1536-width":1103,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Luzmira-_DSC0137-e1607080641671.jpg","2048x2048-width":1379,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Luzmira-_DSC0137-e1607080641671.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Luzmira-_DSC0137-1471x2048.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1471,"wpvr_mobile-height":2048}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"6","caption":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"

The aesthetics of Hassan Hajjaj<\/a>\u2019s works are as distinct as the path that has led him and his creations to where they are today. Growing up among the Islamic traditions of Morocco, Hajjaj came to London at the age of 12, where he quickly became involved in the city\u2019s music, fashion, art and film scenes. Hajjaj describes London as being \u201cone of the most cosmopolitan, international cities in the world \u2013 [it] gave me a different way of looking at myself\u201d. Despite having to find new footing in a foreign country, Hajjaj never forgot his roots: \u201cMorocco was always there as a backdrop because you know, when you leave a country, you always keep the memories, I suppose even stronger than if you\u2019d lived there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not only these memories \u2013 personal interests can also be discovered continuously through his work, such as in his ‘My Rock Stars’ series (2012\u2013), in which his multifaceted love of music \u2013 ranging from pop, hip-hop, reggae and dub on to Latin American and Hindi music genres \u2013 is interwoven and unmistakable.<\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":86748,"id":86748,"title":"Poetic Pilgrimage-_DSC0012","filename":"Poetic-Pilgrimage-_DSC0012-e1607080454995.jpg","filesize":1254763,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Poetic-Pilgrimage-_DSC0012-e1607080454995.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars\/poetic-pilgrimage-_dsc0012\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"POETIC PILGRIMAGE - Performing \"No More War\".\r\n\r\n This female hip-hop and spoken word duo\u00b4s sound hails from \"Britain via Jamaica\". One of only a handful of Muslim acts occupying the genre, their music explores identity and global politics from a woman\u00b4s perspective. The duo Muneera Rashida and Sukina Abdul Noor - were born in Bristol to Jamaican parents and fuse their Caribbean roots with hip-hop, jazz, world music and electro soul. ","name":"poetic-pilgrimage-_dsc0012","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86739,"date":"2020-12-04 11:09:48","modified":"2021-02-16 09:30:27","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1475,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Poetic-Pilgrimage-_DSC0012-e1607080454995.jpg","thumbnail-width":74,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Poetic-Pilgrimage-_DSC0012-e1607080454995.jpg","medium-width":1475,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Poetic-Pilgrimage-_DSC0012-e1607080454995.jpg","medium_large-width":1475,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Poetic-Pilgrimage-_DSC0012-e1607080454995.jpg","large-width":1475,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Poetic-Pilgrimage-_DSC0012-e1607080454995.jpg","1536x1536-width":1180,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Poetic-Pilgrimage-_DSC0012-e1607080454995.jpg","2048x2048-width":1475,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Poetic-Pilgrimage-_DSC0012-e1607080454995.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Poetic-Pilgrimage-_DSC0012-1574x2048.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1574,"wpvr_mobile-height":2048}},{"ID":86742,"id":86742,"title":"Boubacar Kafando-_DSC0330","filename":"Boubacar-Kafando-_DSC0330-e1607080354305.jpg","filesize":1215619,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Boubacar-Kafando-_DSC0330-e1607080354305.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars\/boubacar-kafando-_dsc0330\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"BOUBACAR KAFANDO - Performing \"Bangoro\". \n\nNow based in France, Kafando is inspired by the traditional music from his homeland in Burkina Faso, also playing alongside musicians from accross the globe to create a vibrant musical fusion. Originating from the Mossi ethnic group, known for their oral traditions, he has toured Burkina Faso far and wide, learning to play various instruments such as the kora and the n\u00b4goni. He started his first band in 2001, touring France before moving there in 2003 and absorbing a range of new influences from rock, blues, jazz and funk to afrobeat.","name":"boubacar-kafando-_dsc0330","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86739,"date":"2020-12-04 11:08:35","modified":"2021-02-16 09:35:46","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1397,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Boubacar-Kafando-_DSC0330-e1607080354305.jpg","thumbnail-width":70,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Boubacar-Kafando-_DSC0330-e1607080354305.jpg","medium-width":1397,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Boubacar-Kafando-_DSC0330-e1607080354305.jpg","medium_large-width":1397,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Boubacar-Kafando-_DSC0330-e1607080354305.jpg","large-width":1397,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Boubacar-Kafando-_DSC0330-e1607080354305.jpg","1536x1536-width":1118,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Boubacar-Kafando-_DSC0330-e1607080354305.jpg","2048x2048-width":1397,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Boubacar-Kafando-_DSC0330-e1607080354305.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Boubacar-Kafando-_DSC0330-1490x2048.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1490,"wpvr_mobile-height":2048}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"6","caption":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"

You were born in Morocco and came to London aged 12. You now work between Morocco and the UK. How does that dual heritage affect your work?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Majorly. Without one or the other, I definitely wouldn\u2019t be doing what I\u2019m doing now. Growing up in Morocco meant growing up among the traditions of an Islamic country. And then coming to London and living in one of the most cosmopolitan, most international cities in the world that gave me a different way of looking at myself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Morocco was always there as a backdrop because you know, when you leave a country you always keep the memories, I suppose even stronger than if you\u2019d lived there. So between these two places, it gave me a different way of looking at myself and my work.<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ve created a very distinct aesthetic in your work. How have you developed that style?<\/span><\/p>\n

Growing up in London I got involved with music, fashion, art and film. I was watching Yo, MTV Raps and going to reggae gigs, listening to dub, Latin music, Hindi music. This really was an influence. I worked as an assistant stylist. I worked on music videos. I had a fashion shop. And that really came out in the work. And as for colour, it\u2019s probably to do with growing up in Morocco. It\u2019s such a colourful place \u2013 the clashing colours that people wear, the light. All this was inside me. Living in England, I suppose we live in a film noir, it\u2019s quite a grey country. So the photos were a form of escapism for myself. When I set up a shoot, at that moment I\u2019m escaping myself, along with the sitter, into a more colourful world.<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":86746,"id":86746,"title":"Maalem Simo Lagnawi-_DSC0161","filename":"Maalem-Simo-Lagnawi-_DSC0161-e1607080606570.jpg","filesize":1031648,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Maalem-Simo-Lagnawi-_DSC0161-e1607080606570.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars\/maalem-simo-lagnawi-_dsc0161\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"SIMO LAGNAWI - Performing \"Bangoro\". \r\n\r\nMoroccan-born Lagnawi now lives in London where he has become a UK leader, master and ambassador of Gnawa music culture (a sacred trance music from Morocco). Lagnawi fuses Gnawa with musical influences from countries such as The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, India, Japan, Venezuela and the Caribbean, playing with his bands Electric Jalaba, Gnawa Griot and Gnawa Blues Allstars. ","name":"maalem-simo-lagnawi-_dsc0161","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86739,"date":"2020-12-04 11:09:26","modified":"2021-02-16 09:14:01","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1376,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Maalem-Simo-Lagnawi-_DSC0161-e1607080606570.jpg","thumbnail-width":69,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Maalem-Simo-Lagnawi-_DSC0161-e1607080606570.jpg","medium-width":1376,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Maalem-Simo-Lagnawi-_DSC0161-e1607080606570.jpg","medium_large-width":1376,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Maalem-Simo-Lagnawi-_DSC0161-e1607080606570.jpg","large-width":1376,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Maalem-Simo-Lagnawi-_DSC0161-e1607080606570.jpg","1536x1536-width":1101,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Maalem-Simo-Lagnawi-_DSC0161-e1607080606570.jpg","2048x2048-width":1376,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Maalem-Simo-Lagnawi-_DSC0161-e1607080606570.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Maalem-Simo-Lagnawi-_DSC0161-1468x2048.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1468,"wpvr_mobile-height":2048}},{"ID":86744,"id":86744,"title":"J. James_DSC0475","filename":"J.-James_DSC0475-e1607080674789.jpg","filesize":1037033,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/J.-James_DSC0475-e1607080674789.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars\/j-james_dsc0475\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"JOSE JAMES - Performing \"Code\", written by Jose James and Flying Lotus. \r\n\r\nAmerican singer, composer and producer Jose James was born and raised in Minneapolis, coming of age with the sounds of Prince, hip-hop and modern jazz. He was a member of the ground-breaking avant-garde performance poetry and jazz ensemble Ancestor Energy Before moving to New York to attend The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. There he was mentored by and recorded with the legendary drummer Chico Hamilton and the pianist Junior Mance.","name":"j-james_dsc0475","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86739,"date":"2020-12-04 11:09:07","modified":"2021-02-16 09:13:34","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1408,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/J.-James_DSC0475-e1607080674789.jpg","thumbnail-width":70,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/J.-James_DSC0475-e1607080674789.jpg","medium-width":1408,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/J.-James_DSC0475-e1607080674789.jpg","medium_large-width":1408,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/J.-James_DSC0475-e1607080674789.jpg","large-width":1408,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/J.-James_DSC0475-e1607080674789.jpg","1536x1536-width":1126,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/J.-James_DSC0475-e1607080674789.jpg","2048x2048-width":1408,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/J.-James_DSC0475-e1607080674789.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/J.-James_DSC0475-1502x2048.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1502,"wpvr_mobile-height":2048}},{"ID":86743,"id":86743,"title":"Helen, The Venus Bushfire-_DSC0225","filename":"Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","filesize":1036745,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars\/helen-the-venus-bushfire-_dsc0225\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"THE VENUS BUSHFIRE - Performance \"Love Our Lovers\". \n\nNigerian-born, London-based singer, songwriter, composer and musician Helen Parker-Jayne Isibor is the only permanent member of creative collective The Venus Bushfires. Exploring the ethereal sounds of the hang, the power of the talking drum and the quirks found through cross-fertilising children\u00b4s toys, their work spans multiple visual and musical styles. Self-described as Neo Afro Folk, Isibor combines avant-garde, psychedelic, tribal and meditative arts, inspired y seventies musical pioneers such as Fela Kuti.","name":"helen-the-venus-bushfire-_dsc0225","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86739,"date":"2020-12-04 11:08:51","modified":"2021-02-16 09:34:02","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1492,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","thumbnail-width":75,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","medium-width":1492,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","medium_large-width":1492,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","large-width":1492,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","1536x1536-width":1194,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","2048x2048-width":1492,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-e1607080705786.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Helen-The-Venus-Bushfire-_DSC0225-1592x2048.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1592,"wpvr_mobile-height":2048}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"6","caption":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"

One of the particular approaches in your work is that you shoot from a low angle and you bring this slightly heroic aspect to your subjects. What\u2019s behind that?<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a combination of a few things. It\u2019s definitely coming from growing up watching martial arts movies and Hype Williams<\/a> hip-hop videos. If you look at Chinese martial arts movies, they like to make people look heroic. And you can look at street photography, especially in hip-hop, there\u2019s a lot of shots from the ground up. Especially when I do exterior shoots, I always try to do something cinematic so it feels like there\u2019s a story there. In formal studio shoots, people use quite clean, clear shots. I just wanted to make my figures even bigger than they are so the viewer goes to see the work they\u2019re looking up at them and the subject is looking down, creating this big character that\u2019s almost king-like.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the genesis of the My Rock Stars series? Where did it come from initially as an idea?<\/span><\/p>\n

I always remember the cover of Vanity Fair with Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit from March 1997, lying in bed with a Union Jack bed cover. It was the time of Cool Britannia, Tony Blair had just come in, you had Oasis and Blur. And that really hurt me. I was like, what about us? My friends, people like me. There are so many talented people who aren\u2019t given the opportunity to go mainstream. Where are we? We\u2019re not getting a look in.<\/span><\/p>\n

So this is when I felt, I\u2019ve got these incredible people that are really striving to do things, not just in London but in Paris, Morocco and Brazil. Let me capture them. So really it started from there and just grew. As I was shooting I thought, there\u2019s this other person and this other person. It just continued. I thought, look at people like <\/span>Malick Sidib\u00e9<\/span><\/a> who shot sitters in their city and documented their people. I thought, I\u2019m that new generation who can capture their friends, who can capture Keziah Jones<\/a> in Paris or a capoeira master from Brazil. It\u2019s not just about taking a pretty picture. It\u2019s my job to really document the situation and try to make an army of these people.<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"images","gallery":[{"ID":86747,"id":86747,"title":"Mr Toliver-Colette_DSC0275","filename":"Mr-Toliver-Colette_DSC0275-e1607080490997.jpg","filesize":1062291,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Mr-Toliver-Colette_DSC0275-e1607080490997.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars\/mr-toliver-colette_dsc0275\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"MARQUES TOLIVER - Performing \"Charter Magic\" from the album \u00b4Butterflies Are Not Free\u00b4. \r\n\r\nBorn in Florida, violinist, vocalist and composer Toliver trained at Stetson University\u00b4s Music School as a classical violinist before moving to New York. There he busked his way into the \"Williamsburg set\" before appearing with The Radio and Grizzly Bear and travelling to the UK as part of Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson\u00b4s band. His work explores ideas of escape, persecution.","name":"mr-toliver-colette_dsc0275","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86739,"date":"2020-12-04 11:09:35","modified":"2021-02-16 09:12:22","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1408,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Mr-Toliver-Colette_DSC0275-e1607080490997.jpg","thumbnail-width":70,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Mr-Toliver-Colette_DSC0275-e1607080490997.jpg","medium-width":1408,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Mr-Toliver-Colette_DSC0275-e1607080490997.jpg","medium_large-width":1408,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Mr-Toliver-Colette_DSC0275-e1607080490997.jpg","large-width":1408,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Mr-Toliver-Colette_DSC0275-e1607080490997.jpg","1536x1536-width":1126,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Mr-Toliver-Colette_DSC0275-e1607080490997.jpg","2048x2048-width":1408,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Mr-Toliver-Colette_DSC0275-e1607080490997.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Mr-Toliver-Colette_DSC0275-1502x2048.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1502,"wpvr_mobile-height":2048}},{"ID":86749,"id":86749,"title":"Toca Feliciano-_DSC0083","filename":"Toca-Feliciano-_DSC0083-e1607080429532.jpg","filesize":859945,"url":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Toca-Feliciano-_DSC0083-e1607080429532.jpg","link":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/de\/article\/hassan-hajjajs-my-rock-stars\/toca-feliciano-_dsc0083\/","alt":"","author":"1","description":"","caption":"TOCA FELICIANO JAMMING - Capoeira master Feliciano hails from Brazil but now lives and works in London. \r\n\r\nHe is known for his improvisational style (hence jamming for \"My Rock Stars\"). He established the FICA School of Capoeira in London in 2014, teaching the Angolan form of this artform. Affiliated to the International Capoeira Angola Foundation (ICAF), founded in 1995, Feliciano\u00b4s school follows in the ICAF\u00b4s aim to preserve and promote the Afro-Brazilian art and culture of Capoeira Angola.","name":"toca-feliciano-_dsc0083","status":"inherit","uploaded_to":86739,"date":"2020-12-04 11:10:00","modified":"2021-02-16 09:12:31","menu_order":0,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","type":"image","subtype":"jpeg","icon":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-includes\/images\/media\/default.png","width":1408,"height":1920,"sizes":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Toca-Feliciano-_DSC0083-e1607080429532.jpg","thumbnail-width":70,"thumbnail-height":96,"medium":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Toca-Feliciano-_DSC0083-e1607080429532.jpg","medium-width":1408,"medium-height":1920,"medium_large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Toca-Feliciano-_DSC0083-e1607080429532.jpg","medium_large-width":1408,"medium_large-height":1920,"large":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Toca-Feliciano-_DSC0083-e1607080429532.jpg","large-width":1408,"large-height":1920,"1536x1536":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Toca-Feliciano-_DSC0083-e1607080429532.jpg","1536x1536-width":1126,"1536x1536-height":1536,"2048x2048":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Toca-Feliciano-_DSC0083-e1607080429532.jpg","2048x2048-width":1408,"2048x2048-height":1920,"trp-custom-language-flag":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Toca-Feliciano-_DSC0083-e1607080429532.jpg","trp-custom-language-flag-width":9,"trp-custom-language-flag-height":12,"wpvr_mobile":"https:\/\/www.sleek-mag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/Toca-Feliciano-_DSC0083-1502x2048.jpg","wpvr_mobile-width":1502,"wpvr_mobile-height":2048}}],"settings":{"fit_width":"6","caption":""}},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"

How did you decide on the selection of people you\u2019ve chosen for this exhibition?<\/p>\n

With what\u2019s going on with Brexit and what\u2019s happening beyond England, in Europe and in America with Trump, this felt like a really good moment to do this. I\u2019m not a political artist but I wanted to use this exhibition to try to tell a story capturing all these people to say, we\u2019re part of here as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

So this is a kind of portrait of Britain?<\/p>\n

In a sense, yes, definitely. People like myself, like yourself, who are born here or came here or are maybe second or third generation, we\u2019re part of this country. It\u2019s about trying to tell a story. Hopefully, people who can come to the show can see themselves in the work.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s potentially a lot to be frustrated or angry about when it comes to growing up in Britain and thinking about race or cultural identity. But you always seem to capture a very positive sense of people in your portraits.<\/p>\n

The people in the pictures come from all different parts of the world and when you start putting them next to each other, it becomes a positive image. For me as an artist, I\u2019d rather be on the positive side and maybe make the viewer see something positive in themselves than trying to be gloomy. If I have, young people especially, coming up to the work and feeling like, “Oh I can be that person”, or “I can be the person taking that picture”, then for me, that\u2019s the greatest feeling you can have as an artist. That\u2019s what keeps me doing the work.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tell us about the exhibition title, The Path?<\/p>\n

It comes originally from an album of the same name by the jazz-funk artist Ralph MacDonald<\/a>. We had a conversation and he suggested using the title from a record and I was so happy. For years, I wanted to use the name and to be able to create a show with that title. The work in this show is really a journey, it\u2019s telling the story of the people back at home in Morocco and then it goes into My Rock Stars. So really it\u2019s just a perfect title for the show.<\/span><\/p>\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text_area","text_area":"