Apr 11, 2021

Exhibition Review: Hassan Hajjaj

by Rowynn Dumont

Fotografiska New York Presents VOGUE: The Arab Issue, featuring Hassan Hajjaj. Hassan is a British-Moroccan photographer and artist whose practice crosses boundaries into performance, fashion, portraiture, and installation. His photography challenges preconceived constructs with his vibrant colors, patterns, and textures. Each image is influenced by street culture and haute couture.

This particular series was inspired in the 1990s when Hassan was assisting at a fashion shoot. From the press release, he states, “I sat there and realized all these people were from Europe — stylists, photographers, fashion designers, makeup artists — using Morocco simply as a backdrop, which frustrated me but also made me think. Rather than just using the country as a prop, I wanted to make it look grand. I wanted to take the Moroccan clothes and the people and shoot them in this celebratory way.”

Dior, Vogue: The Arab Issue series, 2012/1433 © Hassan Hajjaj. Courtesy of the Artist and M.E.P Paris/France

Gretchen, Designer Hijabs series, 2012/1433 © Hassan Hajjaj. Courtesy of the Artist and M.E.P Paris/France

White Dotted Stance, Vogue: The Arab Issue series, 2002/1423 © Hassan Hajjaj. Courtesy of the Artist and M.E.P Paris/France

Untitled (D4A), 2000/1421 © Hassan Hajjaj. Courtesy of the Artist and M.E.P Paris/ France

Installation view of Hassan Hajjaj: VOGUE: The Arab Issue. Courtesy Fotografiska New York. Photo: Dario Lasagni

This show is presented in collaboration with Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris. Hassan’s immersive exhibition is on view through November 7, 2021. For more information, check out the show here.

Front page banner image:

Installation view of Hassan Hajjaj: VOGUE: The Arab Issue. Courtesy Fotografiska New York. Photo: Dario Lasagni

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