Meet Yasmine El-Azzeh | Writer and Visual Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yasmine El-Azzeh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yasmine, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I stepped onto the creative path from a young age and never questioned my direction until I was presented with this question. In a few words, it was unavoidable. In a few more, it fed my self-expression, interests, and curiosity. Whether performing on a stage or penning poetry in my room, my art connected me to myself and others, granting me insight into the human condition. By connecting authentically with myself, I could connect authentically with others. By sharing my many stories, I found many like me. By supporting my art, it supported me. As a writer, I connect through voice. As a performer, I connect through flesh. As a photographer, I connect through vision. Art is a visceral, sensual, transmutative experience for the artist and audience alike. It is creation, and creation is the substance of life.

Alright, so let’s move on to discussing your art. What should our readers know?

My art is fueled by my emotions, refined by my intellect, and marked by embedded imperfections. It revolves around visual and verbal self-portraiture. It begins with a raw emotion that’s transmuted through my artistic process. I employ a technique of structured chaos that contains emotion while allowing it to express itself freely through photography and writing. The final product is highly stylized without sacrificing the raw emotionality that birthed it. It is intense yet simple. Through my deliberate depiction of a moment, experience, or emotion, I seek to transform my original state whilst transporting the viewer or reader to the founding emotion that sparked that piece.

I was able to stay on my artistic path through a similar philosophy. I used structured chaos to define a path (in this case, becoming a professional writer) without restricting its development through myopic must-haves. I was open to where the path led and determined to stay the course. Through a combination of blind commitment, fixed flexibility, and unwavering curiosity, I was able to work as a full-time professional writer.

Along the way, I’ve learned that success is not a final destination but a succession of achievements and failures that promote your ascension. I did not view my mistakes as failures; rather, I viewed them as stepping stones toward my ever-evolving goals. I embraced this philosophy so much that I incorporated these mistakes into my art. My brand, “Tofu & Tartuffe,” is driven by the slogan, “A Life in Typos.” It addresses the imperfect path that was perfectly me and hints at the integration of “typos” or mistakes into the landscape of my art. As such, every “typo” was typed into something transformative.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.

I have a list of favorite spots across LA that I love to visit and take visitors to. I would start with a trip to Malibu, with stops at the Getty Villa, Moonshadows, and Hidden Treasures in Topanga Canyon. The next item on our itinerary would be a walk through Rodeo Drive and Sunset Plaza.

From there, we’d head back down Sunset to Silver Lake for coffee at Day Glow and cocktails at Bacari. The next morning, we’d explore Atwater Village and Los Feliz, starting with burritos from Tacos Villa Corona and ending with dinner at Mīrate, with an afternoon tea break at Figaro Bistrot and a walk through Fern Dell in Griffith Park.

On the Sunday of that week, we’d have breakfast at Élephante in Santa Monica, shop at the Melrose Trading Post, and wind down at the Culver Hotel.

We’ll conclude in Hollywood, beginning with a hike to the sign, a dip through Franklin Village, poolside bites at Desert 5, and a smackdown at the Knucklehead.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

Like most great stories, mine started with William Shakespeare. I was entranced by his plays and the many roles he played. Without hesitation, I decided I wanted to write, act, and direct. Although I made that decision as a twelve-year-old, it has decidedly stuck.

Upon entering that world, I realized how diverse those roles can be, and as a result, I diversified my self-expression. Acting turned into performance art and stand-up comedy. Directing turned into photography and filmmaking. Playwriting turned into copywriting and poetry.

Two more influential figures in my life who deserve credit, recognition, and a mention are William S. Burroughs and Ludwig Van Beethoven. Burroughs inspired me to write freely without judgment, and Beethoven taught me to express myself fully without words. Both are unrestricted in ways that are uniquely theirs and allowed me to create art that was uniquely mine.

To add another clichéd answer, I must, of course, shoutout my parents. They may not have always understood my commitment to the arts, but their support has been unwavering and integral to my success.

Website: https://tofuandtartuffe.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fowlowl/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yasmine-el-azzeh-12619364