Hassan Hajjaj shortlisted for £25,000 international art prize

"Twisted Babouche"

Moroccan artist and designer, Hassan Hajjaj, has been shortlisted by he Victoria & Albert Museum for a new £25,000 international art prize for contemporary artists and designers inspired by Islamic traditions of craft and design. The Jameel Prize aims to raise awareness of the thriving interaction between contemporary practice and the rich artistic heritage of Islam, and to contribute to a broader debate about Islamic culture. The Prize will be awarded every two years.

Over 100 nominations for the first Jameel Prize were received, and nine artists and designers have been short-listed by a panel of judges. The first winner of the Prize will be announced at an awards ceremony at the V&A on 7 July 2009. Work by the winner and by the other eight short-listed artists and designers will be exhibited in a new temporary display gallery at the V&A from 8 July until 13 September 2009.

The output of the nine artists and designers is very varied, reflecting the richness and diversity of the Islamic traditions that inspired them. The pieces exhibited at the V&A will range from jewellery to photomontage to turned wood and screen prints. The works will show how dynamic Islamic tradition can be, and how complex and eloquent the art and design inspired by this tradition has become.

The Jameel Prize is sponsored by Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, who conceived the idea after providing the financial support for the renovation of the V&A’s Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art, which opened in July 2006. Award-winning architect Zaha Hadid is Patron of the Jameel Prize. The panel of judges is chaired by Mark Jones, Director of the V&A. Hassan Hajjaj

Hassan Hajjaj was born in Larache, Morocco, in 1961. Having arrived in Britain in his teens, he grew up amid the emerging club culture of London, absorbing the music and styles of reggae, hip hop and worldmusic. In 1984 he decided to forge a solid relationship with the New York scene and in the same year he launched his own clothing andaccessories label, RAP.

In his work, Hassan Hajjaj playfully applies new technologies to redefine the imagery that pervaded his childhood. From the fez to the camel, he takes on the European stereotypes of the North African world and turns them into a visual celebration of the 'souk with a twist'.

Hassan Hajjaj designed the stunning Salon Afrique interiors that graced the Royal Festival Hall during Africa Remix.

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