Ahmed Farooqui has an overarching interest in exploring the role that art and artistic resistance can play in creating the conditions for small scale, progressive and collaborative human relationships.
He is the founder of the Degrees of Freedom (DoF) artist group who work collaborately to investigate, make conscious and challenge the rules governing public, private and hybrid spaces. Since its founding in 2014, DoF's interests have expanded to include poetic, metaphorical and other interpretable spaces. Ahmed has instigated and put together a number of exhibitions, mini festivals and interventions for DoF in a range of venues.
In 2016 Ahmed Farooqui set up Space36, an occasional arts space based at his house in North London to investigate the boundaries of the domestic, the private and the public. Each year Space36 invites a small group of artists to engage with the space over a period of many months to research, experiment and produce art works on a theme that respond to the space, its history and environment. This group residency culminates in an exhibition that is part of a local arts festival. Conviviality and sociability, breaking down the barriers between the audience, the artworks and the artists is central to the concept of Space36. All participating artists are expected to be present during public opening hours and actively engage with visitors. 2020 interview with Podcaster Robert Good re: Space36
In addition to the above, Ahmed has a multi disciplinary studio practice that encompasses exploration of subjects as varied as migration, identity, systems of knowledge and the dynamics of power in social relationships.
He splits his time between his studio practice and instigating and organising projects for Degrees of Freedom and Space36.
He is the founder of the Degrees of Freedom (DoF) artist group who work collaborately to investigate, make conscious and challenge the rules governing public, private and hybrid spaces. Since its founding in 2014, DoF's interests have expanded to include poetic, metaphorical and other interpretable spaces. Ahmed has instigated and put together a number of exhibitions, mini festivals and interventions for DoF in a range of venues.
In 2016 Ahmed Farooqui set up Space36, an occasional arts space based at his house in North London to investigate the boundaries of the domestic, the private and the public. Each year Space36 invites a small group of artists to engage with the space over a period of many months to research, experiment and produce art works on a theme that respond to the space, its history and environment. This group residency culminates in an exhibition that is part of a local arts festival. Conviviality and sociability, breaking down the barriers between the audience, the artworks and the artists is central to the concept of Space36. All participating artists are expected to be present during public opening hours and actively engage with visitors. 2020 interview with Podcaster Robert Good re: Space36
In addition to the above, Ahmed has a multi disciplinary studio practice that encompasses exploration of subjects as varied as migration, identity, systems of knowledge and the dynamics of power in social relationships.
He splits his time between his studio practice and instigating and organising projects for Degrees of Freedom and Space36.
Selected works and projects
Monuments to Migration
The money monument
Fuzzball
Tree of Knowledge
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Nine head roulette
Trillion superheroes
Gelforms and bioglyphs
But for the darkness
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Through other eyes
Interpretable objects
The hunt
Winter Hares
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The Secret Life of no:36, exhibition at Space36
"Waiting to Exhale", exhibition at Space36
"The truth detectives", exhibition at Space36
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"Osmosis-experiments in permeability", DoF
"Reality and its disorders", DoF exhibition
"Friends of interpretable spaces", DoF mini festival
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