Meet the 2020-21 Dean's Student Council: Mara Hassan
This series of web posts profiles the 2020-2021 UCLA School of the Arts and Architecture’s Dean’s Student Council.
Mara Hassan (who alternates between they/them, she/her, and he/him pronouns) is a fourth-year Art History major and LGBTQ Studies minor from Coachella, California. Hassan transferred to UCLA from College of the Desert in Palm Desert, CA, where they had been initially studying journalism. Hassan is a student intern at the Hammer Museum, and represents the Hammer on the Dean’s Student Council.
Mara Hassan was a freshman when she realized she wanted to study art history instead of journalism. She had just given a presentation for her sociology class about political installation art, particularly that of contemporary artists Lawrence Abu Hamdan and Wafaa Bilal.
Hassan’s focus became even clearer upon arriving at UCLA and began to transition both medically and socially. Again, he was inspired by his studies. “A desire for a more queer-informed lens of study only grew until the summer after my first year where I took a class on queerness in contemporary art,” Hassan says.
I find my inspiration for my research interests in my community—trans and non-binary people.
Mara Hassan
Now, Hassan is finishing up her last year at UCLA and will graduate in the summer with a B.A. in Art History and LGBTQ studies. Her research interests cover a variety of topics, including the role of gender and violence in the Rwandan genocide, readymade and found object portraiture, self-representations of the queered body and world-building, and queer temporalities and performance studies. “I find my inspiration for my research interests in my community—trans and non-binary people,” he says.
As an intern at the Hammer Museum, Hassan has assisted with artist and exhibition research, artist and gallery correspondence, archival organization, social media, and other projects. “My favorite assignments by far would have to be contributing to Instagram series posts,” they say. “I loved writing on artists for both Black History Month and Women's History Month.”
Hassan’s current work for the Hammer explores the interactions of portraiture and presence through readymade sculptures in the museum’s collection. Readymade sculpture, which is made of everyday and often mass-produced objects separated from their intended use and transformed into art, is a particular focus in Hassan’s studies.
In a time where our bodies must be separated by space, there are new ways of thinking about presence and how we can be somewhere without our physical bodies occupying space at all.
Mara Hassan
“In a time where our bodies must be separated by space, there are new ways of thinking about presence and how we can be somewhere without our physical bodies occupying space at all,” says Hassan. “We are finding ways to occupy negative space without embodying a corporeal form, and navigating the internet and other forms of distant communication have allowed us to rethink what it means to be present and in attendance.”
Although they also struggle with maintaining creativity and motivation during a pandemic where social connection is limited, Hassan has still found ways to center themself and reduce Zoom fatigue. “I think maintaining flexibility is incredibly important,” she says. She has found herself returning to nature, with a secluded sacred wildlife space serving as a favorite peaceful retreat. Like many others, Hassan has also been binge-watching HBO, cooking three meals a day, and trying new wines.
The Hammer is an amazing institution on its own, but it wouldn't be where it is today without the involvement and participation of our student body.
Mara Hassan
Hassan chose to serve on the Dean’s Student Council with the hope of facilitating dialogue between the Hammer Museum and the student body as well as prospective interns or employees. “The Hammer institution is here to serve us, as students and members of the UCLA community,” he says. “The Hammer is an amazing institution on its own, but it wouldn't be where it is today without the involvement and participation of our student body.”
Hassan also hopes that in coming years, the Dean’s Student Council can give a voice to those who have historically been marginalized by school administrators and authorities.“ I would recommend applying to anyone who wants to be a part of serving the student body—specifically those interested in the arts,” they say.
Story by Ruby Dennis
HEADER IMAGE: Courtesy of Mara Hassan.
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