Zeerak Ahmed / SLOWSPIN
Zeerak Ahmed / SLOWSPIN is a US-based Pakistani artist. She produces voice-based sculptures, site-specific installations and uniquely fragile sound collages that explore notions of identity, memory and longing. Slowspin has a distinct sound practice grounded in Hindustaani classical vocal traditions, dream-folk, ambient and experimental electronic music. Poetry and melodies in her mother tongue(s)—Urdu, Farsi, Purbi and English—build new textural soundscapes.
She is presently archiving the sonic and intellectual histories of female folk music traditions from South Asia, drawing new forms from the poetic and melodic records of her ancestors. Exploring ways of listening, composing, and performing the sounding body, her work addresses critical immaterial art.
Her latest album, TALISMAN, opens a world of Slowspin's uncanny and heart-wrenching refrains, delivering a balm for the migrant's journey into the unknown: the abyss of love, loss and longing. TALISMAN hosts Slowspin alongside a stellar line up of NYC-based musicians including Grammy nominated artist Shahzad Ismaily (Executive Producer), Grey Mcmurray (Co-Producer), Aaron Roche and Greg Fox.
By taking the thumri and recontextualizing it for contemporary music—ambient, dream pop, guitar-based folk—she is excavating this buried alternative history. These centuries-old songs and traditions send down fresh roots into new soil on TALISMAN, still aching for home but open to new possibilities for growth, new histories to write. Much like Ahmed herself, and millions of others in the South Asian diaspora. “They tell me not to plant things where they don’t belong,” Ahmed sings in understated defiance on the closing “Belong.” “What if that’s all I know?”
CV
Zeerak Ahmed Veiseh
Musician | Artist | Curator | Academic
EDUCATION
2017 MFA in Creative Practice, University of Plymouth, UK
With a focus on experimental sound performance, sound sculptures and new media installations. Accredited by the University of Plymouth, Transart Institute low-residency program was hosted in Berlin & NYC.
2012 B.A. Major: Studio Art. Minor: Political Science, Hiram College, OH, U.S.A.
2006- Eastern Classical Vocal Training, Ustaad Naseeruddin Sami, Karachi, Pakistan
Student of awaaz (voice) under Ustaad (master) Naseeruddin Sami & Rauf Sami (Delhi Gharana)
AWARDS
2022 Akron Museum CAN Triennial Prize
2016 Lux Style Award for Best Emerging Music Artist in Pakistan
2015 Dawood Global Award for Most Promising Female Artist in Pakistan
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
TRANSART INSTITUTE | NYC
Nov 2023 - MFA Thesis & Studio Advisor
Figure 8 Recording | New York, U.S.A
July 2023 - Program Director + Coordinator
Cleveland Institute of Art | Cleveland, U.S.A
Jan 2022 - May 2023 Adjunct Faculty, Liberal Arts and Visual Arts Department
Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture (IVS) | Karachi, Pakistan
Assistant Professor, Liberal Arts Program:
Jan 2020 - Jul 2020 Head of Liberal Arts Program
Jan 2018 – May 2021 Assistant Professor, Liberal Arts Program
Jan 2018 – Dec 2019 Assistant Professor, Fine Arts Department
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS | Karachi, Pakistan
2019 Co-producer & Musician for children’s Urdu book, Alif Se Yay Tak Nanhay Geet aur Nazmain
AMIN GULGEE GALLERY | Karachi, Pakistan
2018 Co-curator - Geniale Dilletanten
KARACHI BIENNALE 2017 | Karachi, Pakistan
2017 Assistant Curator for the Inaugural Biennale - www.kbcuratorial.com
FOMMA GALLERY | Karachi, Pakistan
2014 Gallery Curator
KARACHI GRAMMAR SCHOOL | Karachi, Pakistan
2013 - 2015 O & A level Art & English Teacher - Cambridge System of Education
ZAMBEEL DRAMATIC READINGS | Karachi, Pakistan
2013 - 2019 Vocalist & Composer for children’s theatre troupe
WORKSHOPS & RESIDENCIES
TRANSART INSTITUTE | NYC
Sept 2023 Instructor - PhD Intensive course: Records of Virus & Healing
TRANSART INSTITUTE | NYC
Nov 2022 Participating Artist - Transart Creative Research Symposium:What Knots Knot Knots
Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture (IVS) | Karachi, Pakistan
April 2023 Guest Artist Presentation on Critical Immaterial Art
TRANSART INSTITUTE | Berlin & NYC
Mar 2022 Instructor - PhD & MFA (Virtual) Open Window Series: Body as Archive
TRANSART INSTITUTE | Berlin & NYC
Jan 2022 Instructor - PhD & MFA Weekend Intensive Workshop: Critical Immaterial Art
BETHEL COLLEGE | KS, U.S.A
April 2021 Visiting Artist Presentation & Workshop: Western Experimental Music After WWII
TRANSART INSTITUTE | Berlin & NYC
March 2021 Alumni Speaker: Compassion & Social Justice
HIRAM COLLEGE | OH, U.S.A
March 2021 Visiting Artist Presentation & Juror: Annual Student Show
WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY | NC, U.S.A
March 2021 Visiting Artist Presentation
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE OF PHOTOGRAPHY | NY, U.S.A
Feb 2021 Visiting Artist Presentation
ARTIST PLATFORM - INTERNATIONAL COPRODUCTION FUND | Berlin, Germany
May 2018 Guest Artist
DOSTI MUSIC PROJECT | U.S.A
2016 Fellow
FOMMA GALLERY | Karachi, Pakistan
2013 - 2015 Art Teacher - Children’s Summer Camp
Treignac Project | Treignac, France
2013 Guest Artist
EXHIBITIONS
2023, EPHEMERA, Working Dog Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2023, Re:Sound New & Experimental Music Festival, Cleveland, U.S.A
2022, CIA Faculty Exhibition, Reinberger Gallery, Cleveland, U.S.A
2022, CAN Triennial, Waterloo Arts, Cleveland, U.S.A
2021, CONTEXT ART MIAMI, Janus Gallery, Art Basel, Miami, U.S.A
2020 The (Not So) Short Fest, curated by Jean Marie Casbarian, Ely Center of Contemporary Art, NYC, U.S.A
2020 IRL: In Real Life, curated by Mallika Rangoonwala, VM Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan 2020 Sagar Theatre on Queen’s Road, curated by Zahra Khan (Art Divvy). A collateral exhibition of the Lahore Biennale 2020, Lahore, Pakistan.
2019 Beyond the Waters, curated by Amra Ali, Koel Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2019 Microcosm 3, curated by Adeel uz Zafar, Gandhara Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2019 The Quantum City: Territory | Space | Place, curated by Amin Gulgee, Sara Pagganwala & Zarmeene Shah, International Public Art Festival, KPT, Karachi, Pakistan
2018 Mix Tape [1], curated by Sara Pagganwala, Canvas Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2017 60 Years of Goethe-Institut in Pakistan, curated by Fiza Khatri, Goethe Institut, Karachi,
Pakistan
2017 TBP at TDF Ghar, TDF Ghar, Karachi, Pakistan
2017 In-Visible Ufer Studios, Berlin, Germany
2016 Zones of Sensitivity (text piece writing/reading), curated by Ladan Yalzadeh, Ufer Studios, Berlin, Germany
2016 About Time, curated by Hajra Karaar, Theatre at NAPA (National Academy of Performing Arts), Karachi, Pakistan
2016 The 70’s Pakistan’s Radioactive Decade, curated by Amin Gulgee & Niilofur Farukh, Amin Gulgee Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2015 Au-dela, FOMMA Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2015 Loose Affairs, SOMOS PROJECT SPACE, Berlin, Germany
2015 Speaking in Tongues, curated by Amin Gulgee and Zarmeene Shah, Karachi Literature Festival, Karachi, Pakistan
2014 Dreamscape, curated by Amin Gulgee & Zarmeene shah, Amin Gulgee Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2014 FRESH!, curated by Amin Gulgee, Amin Gulgee Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2014 Remember Me, curated by Adeel uz Zafar, V.M Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2013 Aihad Karo, Koel Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2013 Accumulation, FOMMA Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan & Parsons College of Art and Design, Paris, France
2013 Construction-Deconstruction, FOMMA Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan 2011 Senior Thesis Show- Gelbke Gallery, Hiram College, U.S.A
2010 We Are What You Made Us, Faraar Gallery- T2F, Karachi, Pakistan
CONCERTS/PERFORMANCES
2023, Fridman Gallery: Slowspin & Grey Mcmurray, NYC, U.S.A
2023, Sultan Room: Switch Hit Records Showcase, NYC, U.S.A
2023, Bang On a Can: LOUD WEEKEND, Mass MoCA, North Adams, U.S.A
2023 Public Records, NYC, U.S.A
2023 Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project - Re:Sound New Music Festival, Convivium 33 Gallery, Cleveland, U.S.A
2023 Empty Bottle, Chicago, U.S.A
2023 Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project - TORCH SONG, Convivium 33 Gallery, Cleveland, U.S.A
2023 Sofar Sounds, Cleveland, U.S.A
2022 Re:Sound New Music Festival, UNCOMMON SOUND, Cleveland, U.S.A
2021 Peepal and Banyan Listening Room curated by Abi Tariq, Benjamain Merten, Amna Khan and Zara Sajid, Haus der Statistik, Berlin, Germany
2020 South Asian Union Voltage Experiment curated by Arooj Aftab, Joe’s Pub, New York, U.S.A
2017 60 Years of Goethe-Institut in Pakistan, Goethe Institut, Karachi, Pakistan
2017 Lahore Music Meet, Lahore, Pakistan
2016 Sonic Bridge, British Council Library, Karachi, Pakistan
2016 City Session with City FM89 (web series of live performances) Karachi, Pakistan 2016 Live Music-100th Concert Celebration, The Second Floor (T2F), Karachi, Pakistan 2016 Women of the World Festival, Beach Luxury Hotel, Karachi, Pakistan
2016 Creative Karachi Festival, Alliance Françoise, Karachi, Pakistan
2016 Dosti Music Tour, Southeastern United States
Dosti ensemble performances at New Smyrna, Orlando, Savannah (Stopover Music Festival) Camden & Chattanooga.
2015 Washed Upon the Shore, Canvas Gallery, Karachi, Pakistan
2015 Storm in a Teacup Festival, Peeru’s, Lahore, Pakistan 2014 Forever South Series, Karachi, Pakistan
BIBLIOGRPAHY
2023 Maheen Sabeeh, “Introducing Slowspin”, INSTEP – The News, June 4.
2023 Amanda Rabinowitz, “Pakistani native Slowspin explores the immigrant experience with electronic music”, IDEASTREAM PUBLIC MEDIA, June 1
2023 Bhanuj Kappal, “Talisman Album Review”, PITCHFORK, May 24
2020 Maheen Sabeeh, “Uncovering the Rise of Contemporary Female Musicians”, INSTEP – The News, Aug 2.
2019 Numair A. Abbasi, “Exhibition: Land, Water and People”, Dawn, Nov 3.
2019 Noor Ahmed, “Microcosm III”, ArtNow, Oct 5.
2019 Sanya Hussain, “The Quantum City”, ArtNow, April 1.
2019 Jovita Alvares, “International Public Art Festival (IPAF), Karachi”, Youlin Magazine, March 19.
2018 John McCarry, “Mixing Metaphors” Herald, Oct 14.
2018 Ammara Jabbar, “Of Sound & Other Man-Made Objects” ArtNow, Jan 1.
2017 Abdur Rehman, “Making the floorboards Shake: In Conversation with Slowspin” Mosiki, April 17.
2016 Ahmer Naqvi, “Think Pakistan Doesn’t Produce Female Musicians? You’re in for a Surprise” Dawn News, Sept 19.
2016 Tania Bhattacharya, “Pakistan: Underground Scene is Music to Your Ears”, International The News Magazine, Aug 19.
2016 Zehra Nawab, “The Beating Pulse of Indie Music in Metropolitan Pakistan”, The Wire, Aug 2.
2016 Nadeem Salaam, “Zeerak Ahmed (Slowspin) Interview” ELEVTRTRAX, April 26.
2016 Maheen Sabeeh, “Musical Mirages” INSTEP – The News, March 27.
2016 Tonje Thilesen, “Searching for an Underground Generation in Karachi Pakistan” Pitchfork, Jan 28.
2016 Abi Tariq “Beyond Questions”, ArtNow Pakistan, Jan 6.
2015 Tonje Thilesen, “Meeting Pakistan’s Radical Feminists” VICE UK, June 3
2014 “Dreamscape in art” Dawn, December 20.
2014 Zoya Rehman, “Slowspin Nightfall’s Reverie” Border Movement, Jan 22.
2013 Tonje Thilesen, “Stream: Slowspin Nightfalls Reverie” No fear of Pop, Oct 28.