Son[i]a #390
Hamja Ahsan
Hamja Ahsan is a British artist, writer, curator and fanzine enthusiast. He is known for his raw critique of dominant culture and power structures, particularly in the context of cultural representation and identity. As a neurodivergent Muslim, his work addresses the intersectionality of race, religion, and politics, shedding light on the ways in which dominant narratives perpetuate marginalisation, inequality and the repression of civil liberties.
His 2017 book Shy Radicals explores the idea of shyness as a form of resistance, encouraging readers to reconsider the role of introversion in political engagement. This down-to-earth, anti-systemic manifesto, is a multifaceted compendium of modes and registers, full of satire and personal anecdotes. It reframes social justice movements through the lens of introspection, deep thinking and empathy as mechanisms against what he calls “Extrovert-Supremacism”.
We talk to Hamja Ahsan about his traumatic participation in documenta fifteen, about the language of Shy Radicals, about neurodiversity and Islamophobia, and about the fictional utopian shy people’s Republic of Aspergistan. But also about fried chicken. Yes, mostly about fried chicken, really.
Conversation: Quim Pujol, Pantea Arman and Anna Ramos. Script and sound production: Roc Jiménez de Cisneros. Voice over: Hiuwai Chu. Audio recordings by: Anna Irina Russell, SubUnit_FieldRec, stujun, wangzhuokun.
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