Curator, arts administrator, author, dance instructor, educator
Leeza Ahmady (born 1972)[1] is an Afghan-born American independent curator, author, arts administrator, dance instructor, and educator;[2] she is known for her work within the genre of Central Asian art.[1][3] She is the founder of AhmadyArts and Director of Asia Contemporary Art Week (ACAW) since 2006.[3][4] Ahmady has organized large-scale festivals, exhibitions, artistic collaborations, and experimental forums revolving around contemporary art practices from across all regions of Asia. Ahmady is New York based and was born and raised in Kabul, Afghanistan.[5]
Biography
Leeza Ahmady was born in Kabul, Afghanistan.[citation needed] As a teenager, she moved to New York.[6]
She received her BA degree from St. John's University (1994) in international relations.[1] In her junior year, she attended Budapest University as part of a study abroad program.[citation needed] She later studied art history at Hunter College (from 2001 to 2003) as a graduate level non-degree student.[citation needed] She received her MA degree from Pratt Institute (2005) in Arts and Cultural Management with her final thesis concentrating on the development and practice of contemporary art in Central Asia.[6]
Career
From 2005 to 2013, Ahmady had an ongoing curation project, "The Taste of Other: Contemporary Art in Central Asia", which presented artists of Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in various exhibitions and talks.[7]
Since 2006, Ahmady has directed Asia Contemporary Art Week (ACAW), which works in partnership with various international art institutions to further dialogue about Central Asian art.[8] Field meeting has been a signature forum of ACAW since 2014, bringing together artists and curators to engage in dialogue together on provided topics.[2] In 2015, Holland Cotter and Roberta Smith co-chief art critics for The New York Times voted the number 9 of the top 10 best art events of the year, "Sonic Blossom "by Lee Mingwei a performance series presented by Asia Contemporary Art Week and Metropolitan Museum of Art.[9][10]
Ahmady is a founding member of two non-profit organizations: NURTURArt Non Profit, and School of Hope.[7]
Past curatorial
FX Harsono: The Chronicles of Resilience (2016), presented at Tyler Rollins Fine Art, New York[11][12]
Arahmaiani: Fertility of the Mind (2014), performance work survey by Indonesia artist Arahmaiani, presented at Tyler Rollins Fine Art[13]
No-Mad-Ness in No Man's Land (2013), presented at ESLITE Gallery in Taipei; co-curated with Ombretta Agro Andruff[14]
Truly Truthful - Art Asia Fair Miami (2009), participating artists: Lara Baladi, Huma Bhabha, Jeff Cylkowsk,i Anita Dube, Cao Fei, Chitra Ganesh, Yeondoo Jung, Gulnara Kasmalieva and Muratbek Djumaliev, Li Jikai, Kimsooja, Mami Kosemura, Marya Kazoun, Sopheap Pich, Qiu Zhijie, Jean Shin, Ushio Shinohara, Jakkai Siributr, Sislej Xhafa.[22][better source needed]
Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul Film Series (2008) National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.; a selection of video works by Afghan and Afghan-American artists, including Mariam Ghani, Roya Ghiasy, and Rahraw Omarzad.[23]
The Paradox of Polarity: Contemporary Art from Central Asia (2007), Bose Pacia; artists included: Vyaxheslav Akhunov, Said Atabekov, Rustam Khalfin, Shailo Djekshenbayev, Murat Djoumaliev, Ulan Japarov, Gulnara Kasamalieva, Erbossyn Meldubekov, Almagul Menlibayeva, Roman Maskalev, Saken Narynov, Talant Ogobaev, Elena and Victor Vorobaeva, Julia Tikhonova.[27][28][better source needed]
Afghanistan and Central Asia Pavilions (2005) the 51st Venice Biennale; artists in Afghanistan Pavilion: Lida Abdul and Rahim Walidzada. Artists in Central Asian Pavilion: Vyacheslav Akhunov, Said Atabekov, Maxim Boronilov, Muratbek Djumaliev, Gulnara Kasmalieva, Rustam Khalfin, Sergey Maslov, Roman Maskalev, Almagul Menlibayeva, Erbossyn Meldibekov, Alexander Nikolaev, Julia Tikhonova, Sergey Tychina, Yelena Vorobyeva, Viktor Vorobyev. Performance and art events video archives compiled by: Valeria Ibraeva and Roman Arefiev (Almaty, Kazakhstan) Ulan Japarov, Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) Vyacheslav Akhunov and Alexander Nikolaev (Uzbekistan) plus Issyk-Kul Art Symposia. 2001–2002. Film by Shaarbek Amankul, Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).[29][failed verification][30][failed verification]
