Meet Zehra Ahmed | Founder and Curator Womxn in Windows

We had the good fortune of connecting with Zehra Ahmed and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Zehra, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from Karachi, Pakistan. Growing up in a chaotic city of 23 million people and also being part of a large extended family has largely impacted who I am today. The ability to live with disagreement and still care for the same people is a result of my upbringing. Whatever I do and create is first informed by how it may affect those around me. Growing up in Karachi, teaches you to share with others, it also teaches you to deal with chaos and inefficiency. I ultimately love bringing people together, sharing meals and finding ways to play.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have had the most non-linear career and even though its been hard and sometimes quite frustrating, I am at a place where I find myself most content with what I am doing. I started out as an architect working in NY on large scale hospitality and cultural institutions, I moved onto managing an artist studio while consulting on hospitality projects. My time working with artists gave me further insight into the art world, A combination of art, design and very real world corporate experiences has led me to where I am today as a founder and curator for Womxn in Windows.

Womxn in Windows is an ever evolving platform that presents video and film by underrepresented womxn on culture, identity and society in public space. WxW has been regarded by the LA times as “a video art show made for this moment” and by LA Weekly as ” an installation that challenges conventions of female representation”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’d start out at Trails Cafe in Griffith Park for breakfast, coffee and morning pastries. Everything is delicious here and for someone visiting it feels quite unexpected. Though it has to be really early to avoid the crowds. I’d follow this with a hike up to the observatory to get some city views in and be able to share the general overview of LA.

Food Spots Include: Joy in Highland Park, Bub and Grandmas Restaurants in Eagle Rock, Gget Em Tiger in Larchmont (it’s my local spot) L&E Oyster Bar in Silver Lake, Saffys or Bavel (they are both amazing), Night Market Song, Anajak Thai if you can ever get a table or get in on a Tuesday. Cobis in Santa Monica,

Gjusta (is a great stop on the way to show someone Venice beach, which feels essential to LA even though I don’t ever go there)

Too many taco spots to name but eat tacos along the way everywhere.

All Time in Los Feliz is just simple and great food.

Sushi Gen for Little Tokyo vibes.

Parks bbq for Korean bbq – it just always delivers high quality meet

Musso and Franks or Dan Tanas for red sauce Italian vibes but there are lots of other phenomenal Italian spots for eg. Jon and Vinnys, Chi Spacca is delicious if you want meat. For Pizza, Quarter Sheets, Triple Beam, Village Pizzeria, Pizzeria Sei + Pizzana

Brunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel Cabana Cafe, sometimes I like to get a drink at the Bel Air Hotel bar too. It’s a whole vibe. Gold Bar in Highland Park, Melody Wine bar.

Places to visit.
The Getty, Huntington Gardens, Hollyhock House by Frank Lloyd Wright, Some of the Case Study Houses but especially the Stahl house if possible. Hauser & Wirth (and you could plan to have lunch at Manuela), Jeffrey Deitch, Murmurs. Watch a movie and get a snack at the Brain Dead theater. So many more galleries to recommend but I’ll save that for another time. A quick stroll through the Academy Museum.

If I am to make it to Malibu, then the Getty Villa followed by lunch at Malibu Farm or Nobu or Malibu Seafood

Shop at the Bearded Beagle or Wasteland in Highland Park (they usually have a great selection of designers) while over there swing by Kitchen Mouse for a vegan meal or stop by Jeffs Table for an incredibly tasty sandwich. Cookshop and Wild Terra are both there too which are fun to go too.

Check out The Kit Vintage and Platt Boutique Jewelry for some fun finds.

A walk on the beach with some churros in hand.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people that deserve a shoutout, let’s start with every single artist that has agreed to work with me and trusted me with presenting their work, my friends who helped me with everything from connections, PR, installing, and listening to me go on about my aspirations. Every single venue that has agreed to host our exhibition pro bono because they believed in the project and every vendor that has done something at a special rate because they knew this project came from a place of passion. Lastly, Douglas Fenton and Ashleigh Parker without whom this project may have not existed.

Website: https://www.womxninwindows.com/

Instagram: @womxninwindows @zehrahmed

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf4b0THe_4A59WBnKU-MlGg/videos

Image Credits
Douglas Fenton Michael Hull Alejandro De La Hidalga Maria Baranova