Standard Bank Young Artist Exhibition

Hasan and Husain Essop present an entirely new body of work at the National Arts Festival. The Essop twins were born and raised in Cape Town, and have been collaborating since their graduation from the Michaelis School of Fine Art at the University of Cape Town. Their practice is concerned with the tensions between culture, religion and personal identity, and with the role of the individual in society. In this new series they explore these issues through the particular lens of young Muslims living in Cape Town, using their own bodies as subject and instrument in an ambivalent dialogue with their native environment. Their work highlights a multi-cultural clash between religion and popular cultures. They explore the dominating influence of Western theatrics and those narratives that are constructed to depict a certain reality. Inspired by Hollywood’s visual language and tactics, they create their own narratives, with each photograph reflecting them in a battle of moral, religious and cultural conflicts.

“Our work highlights a multi-cultural clash between religion and popular cultures. We explore the dominating influence of Western theatrics and those narratives that are constructed to depict a certain reality. Inspired by Hollywood’s visual language and tactics, we create our own narratives. Each photograph reflects us in a battle of moral, religious and cultural conflicts. Two dominant personalities appear, East and West with all their stereotypes. Environments are chosen as stages on which to perform and define our behaviours.

Several characters may appear repeatedly. Our daily uniforms, brands reflecting class distinctions become tools and opportunities for acting out multiple personae and adapting to specific surroundings. Those clothed in Islamic wear are aggressive but humble in their quest, those in popular fashion questioning our beliefs. The pit bull demonstrates loyalty but no sense of reason. Similarly, soldiers in war portray a patriotic commitment to their country, bred for a purpose.

Creating a moment in time, a dream or something seen, we tell a story of growing up. Being competitive with each other is a constant battle for the best. We use our own iconography to provide a political context for the wars being fought on a local and global scale. The viewer is able to translate these signs with their own understanding of the present and imagining a range of different possibilities. The images are also personal viewpoints that capture the growth and hunger for development: finding boundaries that we are able to test, debating the truth in our actions. They also reveal a satirical thread stitched in its process, a designed layout demonstrating our knowledge and experience.

As twin brothers, we have set out to find ourselves in each other. Trying to create something new each time, a story unfolds and never ends.” Hasan and Husain Essop

Showing at the Monument Gallery

24 July - 31 August