Fauze Hassen takes storytelling to a new level

Fauze Hassen takes storytelling to a new level in debut solo exhibition
Yellow Street Light Madness.


For Brazilian born Fauze Hassen, expressing ideas and telling stories can transcend the storytelling medium.

Yellow Street Light Madness, opening Saturday 12 May, 2pm at Depot Artspace, draws together painting, poetry and film to produce works that expertly traverse complex socioeconomic issues.

“Some ideas fit a painting, some others are better conveyed with words in a poem, some even end up as a film or a photograph,” Hassen explains.

“I like the physicality and energy which comes with painting but I also enjoy the endless possibilities poetry allows me to delve into; and with film things can really come to life in a dreamlike way.”

Yellow Street Light Madness emerges from poems Hassen has written and published, referencing his upbringing on the outskirts of São Paulo, one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

Each work references the chaos, violence, corruption and social inequality prevalent in overpopulated urban environments, giving colour and shape to what it may feel like to exist on the margins of society.

Hassen’s unique juxtaposition of narratives enhanced by a mixed media approach of street art and graffiti has produced works that are raw, expressive and dense with emotion.

“My work is strongly influenced by the collective urban psyche and all the elements which surround the chaotic environment within a densely populated country.”

“I hope audiences will gain a better understanding of my background, my culture and artistic view by immersing themselves in the visual narratives expressed through my paintings, poetry and video work,” says Hassen.

Yellow Street Light Madness will be accompanied by a special event on Sunday 20 May at 1pm, where Hassen will read original poems from his collection of poetry and discuss his creative process in creating this exhibition.

Join Fauze Hassen and the Depot Artspace team for the opening event on Saturday 12 May, 2:00pm – 3:30pm, with live music from Let’s Go Descarrego in the Main Gallery.

Yellow Street Light Madness will be on display from 12 May – 29 May 2018 in the Main Gallery, 28 Clarence St, Devonport.

Fauze Hassen and Depot Artspace kindly acknowledge Auckland Council Creative Communities Scheme for funding this exhibition.
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Fauze Hassen

Fauze Hassen is an emerging visual artist and poet born in 1985 in São Paulo, Brazil. In 2009, he gained his Bachelor of Communications with a Major in Filmmaking. He moved to New Zealand in 2011 and started his artistic practice in 2013.

His practice dialogues with his poetry through recurring themes such as urban chaos, routine and human behaviour and exist within the neo-expressionist genre.

Fauze started writing poetry around 2007 and his first collection of poems, Yellow Street Light Madness was published in 2017. He currently lives and works in Auckland where he divides his time between his studio practice, his writing and his job as a film-editor.

Depot Artspace

Depot Artspace is an open and inclusive creative community in Devonport, Auckland that encourages engagement in all art forms. Depot Artspace offers a variety of facilities, services and events that support the creative community including galleries, a professional development programme, publications and a recording studio.

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