The symbol seen on the header page of this website is a cosmogram which describes a system in which all points of information are interconnected, except for one outlying string of data that exists outside the system. This outlying string is Uduqko.
Kamil Adam Hassim is a South African transdisciplinary artist, musician, and filmmaker known for his innovative work that blends art, science, and indigenous knowledge systems. One of the youngest artists in the world to have been awarded a residency at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN), Kamil is also the first artist to conduct a residency at every major Astronomical Observatory in South Africa, where he independently collaborated with a team of engineers and scientists at the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT).
This experience was transformative for his practice, as he met leading physicists and scientists and witnessed cutting-edge experiments in particle physics, engineering and astronomy. He graduated from the Michaelis School of Fine Art, where he was awarded the 2019 Michaelis Prize for the most outstanding artist and the Simon Gerson Award for sculpture. He attained a Masters from the same institution.
Hassim's artistic practice is characterised by a deep engagement with the concept of space-time itself as an artistic medium. He is fascinated by the exploration of nature and the use of its phenomena as an artistic language.
His approach is marked by a synthesis of scientific observations, and spiritual sensitivity, adjacent to the ancient indigenous Polynesian art of Wayfinding. For example, in his final Master's exhibition in 2022, titled "Improvisation and Healing," Hassim created a new musical instrument that explored Afro-Asian cultural paradigms and ways of interfacing with the cosmos through improvisational music and a praxis of Wayfinding.
Hassim's work is deeply influenced by his upbringing in Durban and his experience of living in South Africa as a person of South African Indian heritage. He is aware of how colonialism suppressed indigenous knowledge systems and imposed Western epistemologies, leading to the loss of cultural heritage. His work aims to bridge these gaps, connecting people to the cosmos while acknowledging the importance of different cultural knowledge systems.
