Fai Ahmed Awarded In-Practice Residency with Slavs and Tatars in collaboration with Art Jameel and Goethe-Institut Saudi Arabia

Art Jameel, Goethe-Institut Saudi Arabia and Berlin-based art collective Slavs and Tatars are delighted to announce that Saudi multimedia artist Fai Ahmed has been awarded the inaugural Berlin/Jeddah In-Practice Residency. The residency includes a two-month immersion in Slavs and Tatars’ experimental Berlin studio, during which Ahmed will be embedded as part of the collective, integrating her practice with theirs, followed by a public programme at Hayy Jameel, fully conceived and run by Ahmed.

Ahmed’s work focuses on the politics of memory and the aesthetics of digital error. Each of her works sits at the juncture of two entirely different explorations: the exploration of ideas and the exploration of the process of artistic creation. She published her first art book in 2020 titled “Untitled Album”, and she has exhibited at numerous local and international exhibitions, most notably in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, and NYC. 

“Memories of Poor Sounds” investigates the circulation of local music in low production, such as self-recorded tapes. Through oral history and recordings, Ahmed will explore why certain musicians stop practising, either because of religious or production-related restrictions. Therefore, Memories of Poor Sounds will look at the intersection between sounds and collective memory, and its meanings. 

Ahmed was selected via an Open Call (for Saudi and Saudi-based artists) plus rigorous jury and interview process. The Open Call for the next Berlin/Jeddah Residency will be launched early 2024.