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In the Studio: Ahmed Umar

In the Studio

In the Studio: Ahmed Umar

Ahmed Umar claims Sudanese history

News

All News
Director’s Notes with Andrea Yu-Chieh Chung | “José de Jesús Rodríguez’s Back & Forth” May 27, 2026
“José de Jesús Rodríguez’s Back & Forth” New Art21 Film to Premiere May 27, 2026 May 26, 2026
Next Episode of Art21’s Art in the Twenty-First Century to Premiere in June May 19, 2026
This Is Not a Lesson Plan: Teaching with Conceptual Art

Teaching with Contemporary Art

This Is Not a Lesson Plan: Teaching with Conceptual Art

by Genavie Williams

More Teaching with Contemporary Art
Leonardo Drew sits on top of a yellow ladder in a cluttered studio, surrounded by wood scraps, black bags, and a large black wall sculpture. Combatting Boredom
by Nathan Asplund
April 16, 2026
Sheets of paper with dollops of red, yellow, blue, green, black, and white paint are arranged on a table alongside paintbrushes in cups. I Have No Idea: Ideation as an Intentional Practice
by Genavie Williams
February 13, 2026
A collage of paintings and color swatches featuring vases with flowers and color tests pinned to a white wall. Observation as a Radical Act
by Julia Soderholm
January 16, 2026
Celebrating 25 Years: Art21’s 2026 Spring Gala

Events

Celebrating 25 Years: Art21’s 2026 Spring Gala

More Events
Big Night of Shorts
by Art21
September 30, 2024
David Howe, Amy Sherald, and Hiroshi Sugimoto standing in front of a brick wall with the Art21 logo behind them. 2024 Art21 Spring Gala
by Art21
May 7, 2024
Art21 Filmmaker Celebration
by Art21
November 30, 2023
Big Question: Edgar Calel

Big Question

Where does the creative process begin?

Edgar Calel asks what art is for.

Interview by Camila Palomino

This interview is also available in Spanish.
Esta entrevista también está disponible en español.

More Big Questions
¿Dónde empieza el proceso creativo? Edgar Calel se pregunta para qué sirve el arte.
How can art further political resistance? Enzo Camacho and Ami Lien use the artistic process to build shared understanding.
How do we complicate the relationship between power and violence? Gray Wielebinski lets things be strange.

More in this section

More to Read

Carlos Motta with glasses and a beard sits on a couch with a striped pink and blue blanket, in a room with sketch drawings on the wall.

In the Studio

In the Studio: Carlos Motta
Interview by Phillip Pyle
Santiago Yahuarcani with short dark hair and a collared shirt stands outdoors in a sunlit, green, and blurry natural setting.

In the Studio

En el Estudio: Santiago Yahuarcani
Entrevista por Rosa Chávez Yacila, editado por Camila Palomino
Santiago Yahuarcani with short dark hair and a collared shirt stands outdoors in a sunlit, green, and blurry natural setting.

In the Studio

Santiago Yahuarcani
Interview by Rosa Chávez Yacila, edited by Camila Palomino
Alia Farid inside a car holds bread up to a rolled down car window to feed a camel standing outside.

In the Studio

Alia Farid
Interview by Noor Tamari
Daniel Lind-Ramos wearing a blue shirt, black cap, and glasses holds a water bottle while standing on a residential street with houses, power lines, and a parked car visible.

In the Studio

En el Estudio: Daniel Lind-Ramos
Entrevista por Ian Forster, editado por Noor Tamari
Daniel Lind-Ramos wearing a blue shirt, black cap, and glasses holds a water bottle while standing on a residential street with houses, power lines, and a parked car visible.

In the Studio

Daniel Lind Ramos
Interview by Ian Forster, Edited by Noor Tamari
A collage of paintings and color swatches featuring vases with flowers and color tests pinned to a white wall.

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Observation as a Radical Act
Julia Soderholm
January 16, 2026
Kent Monkman sits on a chair in an art studio holding a paintbrush, with a large painting of people in a field displayed behind him and art supplies nearby.

In the Studio

Kent Monkman
Interview by Andrew Woolbright
A person using a sewing machine to stitch fabric, with their hands guiding the material under the needle.

Teaching with Contemporary Art

Craft Labor
Makda Amdetsyon
December 12, 2025
Alan Michelson sitting on a bench in a dimly lit marble and brick space.

In the Studio

Alan Michelson
Interview by Murtaza Vali