For our new "Currently" series, we send an artist five open-ended questions to answer, and when responding, they can elaborate as much or as little as desired. The questions are intended to capture a snapshot moment - what an artist is grappling with, appreciates, and dreams about for the future. Responses are posted verbatim, as soon as they are submitted, so as to provide a platform free of editorial skew.
Our first "Currently" entry is from Ilyas Ahmed, a Portland-based musician and visual artist. Besides his prolific solo work, which ranges from hazy guitar-based albums to ambient compositions, Ahmed also performs in the band Grails and has collaborated with artists including Golden Retriever and Liz Harris. For this exchange, Ahmed opts for brevity over detail, which is just fine, as there is so much happening in the world right now demanding our collective focus.
Currently...
- What creative project(s) are you working on?
A lot of new solo recordings & a secret new collaboration.
- What topics, ideas, or movements interest you?
Transcendence.
- What music, art, or words do you feel drawn to?
Too many to name, but lately Keith Hudson, Basic Channel, (and) Ellen Gallagher.
- What self-care practices are you finding helpful?
Jumping jacks & red wine.
- What do you dream about, for days ahead?
Revolution.
You can find much of Ilyas Ahmed's music on his Bandcamp, and a sample embedded below. Cover photo taken from Bandcamp.