My Gurus: Mesmerised by the ‘whys’

Aliyah has always been mesmerised by the ‘whys’, especially when pertaining to people’s emotions. She was that kid who asked “why?” after “why?” after “why?” until she had answers. She always needed the answers to feel right before she could stop being inquisitive.

bell hooks

The writing of the late bell hooks first came to my attention through a friend’s recommendation. Melz Owusu gifted me ‘All About Love’ & ‘The Will to Change’ when I was going through a particularly turbulent emotional period.

I ate that book the same way I ate Malorie Blackman’s ‘Noughts and Crosses’ on the Summer Reading Challenge as a 9-year old home-schooled neek. It provided answers to questions on the ethics of loving and developing meaningful and healthy ways to love that felt foundational to understanding the spiritual bareness of the professional industries and institutions in the UK. 

There was something about it being words that I needed to hear that made it easy for my body to accept. I found solace and continued to build my curatorial practice on embodied practice and self-esteem development for the curators and creatives I worked with at Black Curatorial. Shoutout to Thomas Sankara and Sobonfu Somé for teaching me how to live these words in practice.

Suzanne Alleyne

Founder of Alleyne& and author of the Neurology of Power, Suzanne’s mind is one that aligns with mine consistently. As the first person to hire me as a 20-year old Midlands producer at Apples & Snakes, Suzanne took a chance on me.  

I was very headstrong and their youngest hire at the time, responsible for the whole Midlands region of poetry programming, professional development and events. While a challenge, it was one hell of a first job to have. 

Suzanne has watched me grow exponentially but also provided wisdom on how to navigate the racism of this country and its industries while staying true to oneself. Her most recent research into the Neurology of Power has changed my working ethics enormously. 

Suzanne first brought to my attention the SikSika people and how Maslow had stolen their hierarchy of needs and turned it upside down to support the underpinning philosophy of Western capitalism and its continual messaging that you must gain more to be worthy. In the SikSika hierarchy Self-Actualisation is at the bottom because we are born actualised. 

Looking for knowledge outside the Western philosophical or anthropological sphere has always been central to my work and life, so when in conversation with Suzanne I always feel I’m being understood. Plus we cackle for hours.

Prophet Muhammad

If there was one man I could sit and reason with it would be the Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him. As a Muslim, my everyday life has been ruled by the prophet’s Sunnah [traditions and practices] from the day I was born. It provides me with solace and understanding that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves alone.

This hadith [narrative] is what first taught me how to deal with rage and anger, which have had to be constantly kept in line working in the UK arts. Taking time to process instead of reacting is beneficial for us all.

"If one of you is angry while he is standing, let him sit down so his anger will leave him; otherwise, let him lie down.” (Sunan Abi Dawud)

Cecile Emeke

In the 2010s, when Cecile Emeke dropped the YouTube series ‘strolling’ and short film ‘Ackee & Saltfish’, it was as if the lives of all my friends and our conversations were being documented. The series cut through a lot of noise: it was so rich and new to hear Black people in Britain talking as themselves with incredible knowledge and ease. 

The ‘strolling’ series then made its way across Afro-European culture and we were so grateful to listen. I always remember feeling enriched and having nuance added to my perception after watching every episode. 

Cecile is one of the most talented and intentional filmmakers I’ve witnessed in the UK. Her work has been seminal to my own practice as a director and in the ways we at Black Curatorial tell stories and document culture. “Let people speak, listen closely and let them tell you what they mean” is the takeaway that has guided every exhibition I’ve worked on across the years.

Aliyah Hasinah is founder of Black Curatorial and currently on Jerwood’s Curatorial Accelerator programme.

 @aliyahhasinah | @BlackCuratorial

Aliyah has always been mesmerised by the ‘whys’, especially when pertaining to people’s emotions. She was that kid who asked “why?” after “why?” after “why?” until she had answers. She always needed the answers to feel right before she could stop being inquisitive.

bell hooks

The writing of the late bell hooks first came to my attention through a friend’s recommendation. Melz Owusu gifted me ‘All About Love’ & ‘The Will to Change’ when I was going through a particularly turbulent emotional period.

I ate that book the same way I ate Malorie Blackman’s ‘Noughts and Crosses’ on the Summer Reading Challenge as a 9-year old home-schooled neek. It provided answers to questions on the ethics of loving and developing meaningful and healthy ways to love that felt foundational to understanding the spiritual bareness of the professional industries and institutions in the UK. 

There was something about it being words that I needed to hear that made it easy for my body to accept. I found solace and continued to build my curatorial practice on embodied practice and self-esteem development for the curators and creatives I worked with at Black Curatorial. Shoutout to Thomas Sankara and Sobonfu Somé for teaching me how to live these words in practice.

Suzanne Alleyne

Founder of Alleyne& and author of the Neurology of Power, Suzanne’s mind is one that aligns with mine consistently. As the first person to hire me as a 20-year old Midlands producer at Apples & Snakes, Suzanne took a chance on me.  

I was very headstrong and their youngest hire at the time, responsible for the whole Midlands region of poetry programming, professional development and events. While a challenge, it was one hell of a first job to have. 

Suzanne has watched me grow exponentially but also provided wisdom on how to navigate the racism of this country and its industries while staying true to oneself. Her most recent research into the Neurology of Power has changed my working ethics enormously. 

Suzanne first brought to my attention the SikSika people and how Maslow had stolen their hierarchy of needs and turned it upside down to support the underpinning philosophy of Western capitalism and its continual messaging that you must gain more to be worthy. In the SikSika hierarchy Self-Actualisation is at the bottom because we are born actualised. 

Looking for knowledge outside the Western philosophical or anthropological sphere has always been central to my work and life, so when in conversation with Suzanne I always feel I’m being understood. Plus we cackle for hours.

Prophet Muhammad

If there was one man I could sit and reason with it would be the Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him. As a Muslim, my everyday life has been ruled by the prophet’s Sunnah [traditions and practices] from the day I was born. It provides me with solace and understanding that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves alone.

This hadith [narrative] is what first taught me how to deal with rage and anger, which have had to be constantly kept in line working in the UK arts. Taking time to process instead of reacting is beneficial for us all.

"If one of you is angry while he is standing, let him sit down so his anger will leave him; otherwise, let him lie down.” (Sunan Abi Dawud)

Cecile Emeke

In the 2010s, when Cecile Emeke dropped the YouTube series ‘strolling’ and short film ‘Ackee & Saltfish’, it was as if the lives of all my friends and our conversations were being documented. The series cut through a lot of noise: it was so rich and new to hear Black people in Britain talking as themselves with incredible knowledge and ease. 

The ‘strolling’ series then made its way across Afro-European culture and we were so grateful to listen. I always remember feeling enriched and having nuance added to my perception after watching every episode. 

Cecile is one of the most talented and intentional filmmakers I’ve witnessed in the UK. Her work has been seminal to my own practice as a director and in the ways we at Black Curatorial tell stories and document culture. “Let people speak, listen closely and let them tell you what they mean” is the takeaway that has guided every exhibition I’ve worked on across the years.

Aliyah Hasinah is founder of Black Curatorial and currently on Jerwood’s Curatorial Accelerator programme.

 @aliyahhasinah | @BlackCuratorial