Art & Life with Hasani Sahlehe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hasani Sahlehe.

Hasani, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
My story begins with a family dedicated to pursuing and preserving culture. My Great-father was of mixed ethnicity. His father was Chinese and Mother of African descent. Although he was raised in St. Thomas and had never been to China, he gave each of his children Chinese names in order to keep them connected to their heritage. This is just one example of the kind of influence that shaped me. Additionally, several of my relatives were educators, artists, or just generally expressive and outspoken individuals. It was a privilege to grow up in an environment where the importance of creativity, history, and culture was promoted.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I investigate, facilitate, and implicate. This is done primarily through the genres of painting, performance, and installation. Challenging my audience is the main goal.

What responsibility, if any, do you think artists have to use their art to help alleviate problems faced by others? Has your art been affected by issues you’ve concerned about?
My role as an artist is to create work that impacts the present in order to influence the future. So, while some world events do impact my practice, my hope is that the work would have an even larger impact on society.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
My show, ”What a Kallaloo” is being exhibited at the Atlanta Contemporary until October 21st. My solo exhibition “Banana Republic” is opening at the SCAD Museum of Art on November 20th. It will run until February 3rd. Coming out to shows is one way to support. But, I encourage people to be creative with their patronage. For example, some individuals advocate for my work financially, while my peers provide collaboration and feedback. I graciously accept all methods of support.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.hasanisahlehe.com
• Email: hasanisahlehe@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sahlehe/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hasanisahlehestudio/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/hasanisahlehe?lang=en

Image Credit:
Sebastian Aguilar for “Bipartisan images”

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