About Suridh Das-Hassan
North London-based Suridh Das-Hassan sees himself as an artist only recently. Born in 1979 in London, he lived between 2010 and 2021 in Bangkok, Jakarta, Seattle, Siem Reap, Singapore. We had an exclusive interview with him, where he will tell us more about his promising filmmaking, book publishing, and photography practice.
Hello Suridh, can you tell us more about your technique?
I am traditionally a documentary filmmaker who has moved towards fiction filmmaking. My latest short film Sodo Express explores the relationship between social media and mental health using dance and animation. The subjects of my previous films range from music culture to socio-political issues.
And what drives you to make art?
As filmmaking is a slow process, I’ve started to explore my personal family archive of photos and create new artworks based on memory and identity.
The drive to make art comes from the love and necessity to make and create. Filmmakers are often compelled to make films, and I feel lucky to supplement my directing with the ability to develop my own art and work across a range of visual arts.
Following are images from Sodo Express, courtesy of the artist:
What is the main feature that has changed in your works or practice throughout the years?
The last 3 years have seen a considerable shift in my mentality, culminating in completing my film Sodo Express and one of my lockdown photographs being selected to be part of Edition 365, British Journal of Photography New Art Exhibition.
The move into fiction and creating my own artworks has meant more time by myself, more writing, more experimenting, more taking pictures, and learning to be comfortable with being an artist – which isn’t an easy label.
What were you doing before these last 3 years?
Before this shift, I was stuck in a content bubble. Just working, making, supplying ad agencies, and running a small business. My own art and films suffered. I had forgotten my love of the arts and was lost trying to satisfy an entrepreneurial itch.
I’ve gone a long way to bettering this in the last few years. By picking up my old camera, I’ve re-found that love that gave me the confidence to make and create.
I feel comfortable even bringing a bit of that entrepreneurial vibe back to the art side of things.
Which artist primarily inspires your work?
Man Ray and Sebastião Salgado are two huge influences, and a few great contemporaries also keep me inspired. As well as Kaborn from London and Joshua Citarella from NYC. Stephan Doitschnoff from Brazil and photographer Patrick Brown which are based in Bangkok.
And is there something else, outside visual arts, that keeps you motivated?
Music remains my primary motivation. Aphex Twin, Burial, Warp Records, Skam records. Some old-school hip hop Dj Shadow, Dj Krush, Rakim, plus old-school drum and bass mixes give me a solid momentum to just get working on what needs to get done.
How would you like people to engage with your work?
I’d like people to see my work in galleries (online and physical) and cinemas. I wish people to experience my work and take away something relevant to them. Although a lot of my work is about documentation, the output evolves in capturing something and eliciting an emotional response.
Now spread the word! Do you have anything exciting on the horizon?
When I’m not doing my own films and artwork, I also publish books, as the last three artist monographs under the series title Soi Books, with many more planned. Supporting other artists is something I really enjoy it’s great seeing the different styles from around the world. I’m also working with a Chicano writer based in London.
We are close to finishing our first screenplay based on the struggles of a mixed heritage artist looking for their long-lost family.
Lastly, I’m finishing some work on a series of photographic triptychs – currently titled Reconstruction Of Self and How To Be From Many Worlds At Once.
Find my site here or follow me on Instagram as @shazdirector.
BACK TO YOUR FACE
Back to your face is an ever-growing scrapbook of portraits taken by the artist through the years.
Predominantly taken with his Nikon FM2 35mm camera, but a few digital shots (Lumix/Canon/Mobile phone) are thrown in for good measure.
Go here to view the whole series >
Read other Hue&Eye Exclusive Interviews >
