Hamja Ahsan is an radical artist, writer, curator and activist based in London. Hamja is the author of Shy Radicals: The Antisystemic Politics of the Militant Introvert, published by Book Works in 2017, now adapted into a film (currently streaming on Nowness). He was awarded the Grand Prize at Ljubljana biennial 2019 for the work Aspergistan Referendum based on this book. Reoccurring themes have been explorations around state crime, contemporary Islamophobia, repression of civil liberties, prison solidarity and neurodiversity. He was shortlisted for the Liberty human rights award for his campaign on extradition and detention without trial under the War on Terror. A multi-disciplinary artist, his practice has involved conceptual writing, building archives, performance, video, sound and making zines. He is on the editorial collective for Asylum magazine of Radical mental health. He co-founded the DIY Cultures festival of zines and creative activism in 2013-2017. He is currently writing his 2nd book Radical Chicken - based on his Documenta 15 project on decolonial Halal Fried Chicken chains.
