Chambre d'Amis V, Dallas x Haseeb Ahmed

The fifth edition, featured a talk between artist Haseeb Ahmed and curator Justine Ludwig, who returned to Dallas for this event after settling into her new role as Creative Director of Getty’s PST ART.

 

Thanks to Ann and John, and everyone who participated in creating this lovely fifth edition!

  • ABOUT Haseeb Ahmed
    Haseeb Ahmed. 

    ABOUT Haseeb Ahmed

    Haseeb Ahmed (b. 1985, USA) lives and works in Brussels, Belgium and Toronto, Canada.
     
    Haseeb Ahmed's art is a reminder that metaphorical thinking is a necessary condition for real aesthetic exploration of any subject, including science, where language is bound to precision rather than poetic forms. Recently highlighted by artnet as one of the breakout stars of the prestigious Gwangju Bienniale,  Ahmed has structured his research-based artistic practice around the fluid dynamics of wind and water.His sculptures, paintings, installations, videos and public programs are conceived like a composition for an orchestra; a main theme is resolved through the interplay of many elements at once, including contemporary technology, historical facts, mythology, laboratory tales, and more. Although none of these are fictional (Ahmed is careful in pointing out that he invents nothing in his work), things are aggregated not to communicate efficiently but to evoke. The modes of impressionism come to mind: a depiction of something real, using the language of suggestion.

  • BIO

    Over the last 10 years, Haseeb Ahmed has structured his research-based artistic practice around the fluid dynamics of wind and water. His work, which combines objects, installations, and films, is often collaborative and draws from the hard sciences, blending art and aeronautics, myth and technology to create new narratives. With his experimental and often speculative approach, Ahmed looks at natural phenomena and the cultural connotations they carry - throughout history, and in light of their present-day implications in a shifting landscape.

     

    Ahmed received his Masters in Visual Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, US) after completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (US)  in sculpture and architecture. As a researcher at the Jan van Eyck Academie (Maastricht, NL), Ahmed won the Designers and Artists 4 Genomics Award with his work The Fishbone Chapel. He obtained his PHD in Practice-Based Art in 2018 from the University of Antwerp (BE).

     

    His work has been the subject of solo exhibitions at institutions including M HKA - Museum of Contemporary Art (Antwerp, BE); von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics (Sint-Genesius-Rode, BE); Keller Gallery, MIT (Cambridge, US); and the Museum Bärengasse (Zurich, CH). He has participated in group exhibitions at the MCA - Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago, US); the Centre for Fine Arts - Bozar (Brussels, BE); FRONT Triennial (Cleveland, US); Frestas - Trienal de Artes (São Paulo, BR); Digital Art Festival Taipei (TW); the Gothenburg International Biennial for Contemporary Art (SE), and many others. He was commissioned to create a large-scale installation, Stock Weather III, for the 15th Gwangju Biennale (Gwangju, KR) in 2024 and in 2026 the Colomboscope Biennal commisioned an interactive installation Whose Side is the Wind On?.

     

    Alongside his artistic career, Ahmed maintains collaborative research practices, regularly participating in residencies and contributing to artistic and academic publications such as Afterall Journal, Spike Art Magazine, H ART Magazine, and more. In 2024, he was awarded the Synergies grant by the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, to develop his collaborative research project Pantha Rhei on the Rhine. Since 2025 he's an Assistant Professor of Visual Studies at the University of Toronto's Daniels Faculty.

  • ABOUT Justine Ludwig
    Justine Ludwig. Photo by Ali Cherkis

    ABOUT Justine Ludwig

    Justine Ludwig commenced her curatorial career at the Contemporary Arts Center in Cincinnati, establishing an early foundation in art programming and exhibition development. Her trajectory continued at Dallas Contemporary, where she initially served as Senior Curator and Director of Exhibitions, before advancing to the role of Deputy Director and Chief Curator. During her tenure in Dallas, Ludwig honed her expertise in institutional leadership and large-scale exhibition management, preparing her for broader roles within the art world.

     

    From 2018, Ludwig led Creative Time as its Executive Director, an organization renowned for its groundbreaking public art commissions. In this capacity, she spearheaded major projects with artists such as Chloë Bass, Charles Gaines, Jill Magid, Rashid Johnson, and Jenny Holzer. Notably, she also established CTHQ, a community space fostering dialogues between art and politics, and launched a fellowship program designed to support interdisciplinary, research-intensive artistic practices, thereby expanding the organization's reach and impact.

     

    In October 2025, Ludwig transitioned to the Getty, assuming the newly created position of Creative Director for PST ART. This role places her at the helm of a quinquennial initiative that funnels substantial funding to Southern California institutions for themed exhibitions. Her appointment signals the Getty's commitment to creating a dedicated leadership team for the program, with Ludwig tasked with refining and overseeing its future direction and collaborative endeavors across the region.

  • Talk with Justine Ludwig
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