Design Federation

Interview with Khaled Sabsabi

Khaled Sabsabi shows us that art is more than just pretty pictures, and hip-hop is more than just bling and braggadocio.

What is your name and where are you located
My name is Khaled Sabsabi, I was born in Tripoli / Lebanon and currently I am based in the South Western suburbs of Sydney, Australia.

camps

Where did you learn your craft?
I started out working as a young person making Hip-hop in the mid eighties, this form for me was a freedom to expression, although the early hip-hop engagements were difficult because there was no real format on making it, it was a new form it allowed me and others at the time to experiment in how to achieve this form and offcourse it led to unlimited possibilities for the result. In the late eighties I started to workshop and perform with community theatre, then in the nineties installation and later as technology became accessible moved to video, but I am primarily a sound person.

What is your artistic medium of choice? Why that medium?
Well, my passion is sound, but I like video, photo media and installation, but really my main objective is to present an idea / work so I utilize any medium to achieve the idea.

Whose work do you relate to most? Who inspires you?
I listen to a lot of audio, various genres, but for me inspiration is word / lyrics and sound narrative. Also I don’t limit my self to specific art movements and or cultures creators / activists or places.

ali

How do you want other people to respond to your art?
You see, I want people to comment about my work, negative and or positive; I want people to engage with the work even if it is viewed or interpreted as controversial or simply extreme. Personally these statements (works) need to be addressed if we (the people) are to truly comprehend cultural opinions, traditions and diversity.

Why do you think it is that SBS and ABC are the only 2 stations besides maybe c31 that really do any sort of art programs?
I don’t mean to be pessimistic about Australia’s future and it’s people but Australia has become a culturally isolated place due to its selective and inappropriate world and internal relations and choices and unfortunately if we continue in this manner we will become the out of touch (villagers) of the world, but I am optimistic and I think in time Australians will deal with their issues. Also the arts is a great tool or medium for change.

where we at

Tell us about the upcoming exhibition Resilient Landscape, and also On’n’On?
Really all I can say is the individual should visit these shows and interpret these works and themes as they understand.

Hip-Hop music at the moment is…?
Always transforming / evolving and submerging back to the underground.

Interview with Khaled Sabsabi

Interview with Khaled Sabsabi

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