As well as using real desert sand, Hassan frequently re-enacts motifs and other textures from his North African heritage in his works. His palette evokes Nubia - the blue of the Nile, the reds, ochres and browns of the desert, earth and architecture.
Collaged elements can include textiles belonging to his mother or salvaged from his children’s clothes, wrapping paper, receipts, and travel documents. A crescent moon frequently appears as a recurring motif alongside the Nubian ibex, elephants (now extinct in North Africa), and various means of transport including camels and feluccas (boats).
These motifs are recalled from the artist’s memory reside alongside references to Western iconography, Renaissance art and African mythical figures. In doing so, Hassan explores the space between meaning, memory and symbolism, presenting a multicultural view of the world and his own cultural hybridity.
