[KELP JOURNAL] Hassan, I know we are here to talk about art and how life is influenced by art and art life, but as a former athlete, I was curious about your accident. Specifically, if your experience as an athlete gave you the tenacity to persevere in recovery before you found art. I find that athletes of all kinds have this certain kind of grit that helps push them through the tough times.
[HASSAN LARAMEE] My experience as an athlete definitely helped me go through what seemed to be horrible at first, but for me it was just the biggest challenge of my life. My competitive side was thrilled to prove to everyone that I was capable of everything, more than that to prove doctors who told me that I wouldn’t be able to speak, eat, drink, move, breath or never go back home they were wrong. At first I thought that I was probably better dead but there was a flame inside me that pushed me to work harder than I ever did before. After going to two different hospitals, a reeducation center where nobody could believe how hard I was working and how much I was determined, a year less a day I was back home and able to do everything doctors said I won’t ever be able to do. I was also the first quadriplegic on a ventilator to ever go back home in Canada. When I had my accident the only thing I really wanted was to be able to catch at least one more wave, but everyone was telling me that it was impossible with my condition and 17 years later I get back to the ocean with the prototype that I had in my mind from the first day and I became the first quadriplegic on a ventilator to ever surf, so I guess that my experience as an athlete definitely played à big part in my recovery and my will to always push my limits.
[KJ] I know that you didn’t begin with pointillism but ended up there. I have always liked it and its optical effects: how the image is blurry close-up but super clear from afar. I find it metaphoric. I am curious if you studied any of the pointillists before or after your foray into this form?
[HL] I’ve never studied pointillists or any other form of art in my life. I was a huge sports guy with a passion for surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, running, basketball, music, and my guitar, but those were the only things that my life was turning around. I’ve start drawing 10 years after my accident, but it was a big mess at first as I was drawing with lines. So, one day I saw a video of an artist that only put different types and sizes of dots and I was truly amazed by this, so I decided to give it a try and 7 years later that’s what most of my drawings are made of.
[KJ] You have mentioned that you are inspired by nature. Can you talk about what draws you to it and its importance in your life?
[HL] I’ve grown up surrounded by nature and I’ve spent most of my youth playing in different forests, always looking to see animals, bugs, and the way they are interacting together. I started to collect books on many different animals to get to know them better and I was fascinated by the way they could adapt to many types of environments. I used to spend lot of time with my father who was teaching me very interesting stuff about animals and their lifestyles and it was one of the rare situations that I have the chance to be all alone with him and having his full attention. Since my accident I spend many hours a day surrounded by nature and always enjoy the peace that comes from animals I used to see the energy that came from the trees, plants, and water that flows near me. It’s where I find my inspirations.
[KJ] Your Bio includes an acknowledgment statement about the First Nations people. Can you talk about the decision to include such a statement?
[HL] I’ve always been curious about the past and the way people used to live, mostly by the First Nations. They were truly in a deep connection with elements, nature, relationships between animals and humans. Everything has a meaning and they used to give supernatural meaning to everything, such as plants, animals, and many more . They use to have so many legends and myths around every nature manifestation and animals, which is very interesting. American myths of North America are profound and serious; some use light humor often in the form of illusionists to entertain, while subtly conveying important spiritual and moral messages. They often feature metamorphoses between animal and human. Marriage between different people and species--especially bears--is a common theme, which is my favorite one. In some stories, animals raise human children and humans raise animals. These stories are deeply rooted in Mother Nature and deeply rich in the symbolism of seasons, weather, plants, animals, earth, water, fire, sky, and celestial bodies. There are several common features found in these different elements; these are the principles of a universal and omniscient Spirit encompassing a connection with the Earth and its landscapes, the belief in a parallel world in the sky (sometimes also underground and/or underwater), various creation stories, visits to the “land of the dead” and collective memories of ancient sacred ancestors. Many are characterized by a close relationship between humans and animals. It’s a passionate, magical, and peaceful way of living without all the stress we deal with in today society.
It really inspires me to try to mix up different elements when I create an art piece, such as human, nature, and animals that I’ve started to connect with all the time I spend in nature, social issues, different challenges I’ve face and things that I’m passionate about. I use my observations and interpretations to create my own myths, legends, moral messages, and different worlds that come out from my imagination, which is a process inspired by first nations.
Former athlete Hassan Laramée became a quadriplegic following a mountain bike accident in which he broke his neck. Since 2016, he has discovered a passion for art. After a disastrous attempt at painting, he decided to start drawing, more specifically pointillism, a technique which consists of putting hundreds (or even thousands) of small dots of different sizes on paper in order to create the desired image, and this only with the help of his mouth.
His inspirations are mainly nature and humans. His works are often marked by elements of nature as well as other elements that he mixes and which allow him to ensure that his works are not only an image but a deep reflection.
Behind each work there is a message that represents his way of seeing life, his philosophy and sometimes a lesson learned during one of his many trials that he has faced.
He makes a point of honor to leave a part of himself on each of his works.
He has a great respect for the First Nations who have inspired him throughout his creative journey. Their legends, beliefs, and observations are all elements that have contributed to making him the artist he is. He like to apply them to his own observations and vision of life, as well as the representation he has of nature.
Over the years, art has become a therapy for him by which he can put words on paper with, images and emotions that he cannot express otherwise.
The purpose of his creative approach also aims to lead the observer towards a deep reflection on who he is, his place in this society, and his relationship with nature. All this, with the aim of leaving the observer with not only images in mind but also with the aim of creating an existential reflection.
Kommentare