For those I have never met —
This is an invitation to participate in an artistic encounter.
I would like to spend one day with you.

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My name is Ahmed El Gendy, and I am an interdisciplinary artist based in Amsterdam. In June, I will be in artistic residency at ‘we.are.village’ in Berlin.

'Zero Encounters' is an ongoing project that I started several years ago. For this iteration, I am inviting people to take part in my encounter with Berlin. 

The project is about spending an extended period of time with someone I have never met before. I will be physically present with you for 24 hours.

As you move through your day and night — working, going out, staying at home, resting, meeting others — I will simply accompany you. We will be sharing time and space around each other.

Throughout the encounter, I will not speak or use gestural language. You are free to speak as you wish.
As people normatively get to know one another through verbal conversation, I am curious about how and if a familiarity can emerge otherwise through shared time.

The work explores different ways of being together; and how duration, proximity, and language shape that togetherness. I am interested in experiencing the agency of the city through the routines and trajectories of the people who inhabit it, while acknowledging that my own presence simultaneously alters them.

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The project will take place in Berlin between 13 and 19 June 2026. There will be six encounters consecutively. Each will begin at 12:00 noon and end at 12:00 noon the following day.

We will meet at the location of ‘we.are.village’ in Schöneberg at the beginning of our encounter. Then on the next day, I ask that you accompany me back to the same location, as a transition for the following person to pick me up.

You cannot participate if we have already met or know each other personally in any way. You also cannot participate on a day in which you need to travel outside Berlin. Otherwise, you are welcome to continue with your day and plans normally, as long as I am able to accompany you. It is important that you are available at 12:00 noon both days for pick-up and drop-off at the residency space.

I will always respect the boundaries of your living space or work space as you communicate them to me.
If, for any reason, you need to exceptionally end the encounter before the 24 hours have passed, that is completely understandable.

During our time together, I will not record any audio or video documentation. If it comes up naturally, you have my consent to take photos or videos.
Afterwards, I may write about the experience from my memory. In case any aspects of our encounter are to be shared publicly to an audience in the future, your participation may remain anonymous if you prefer.

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I would be happy to hear from you if you are interested in participating.

Please contact me to arrange the dates on zeroencounters@ahmedelgendy.nl

You do not need to provide much information about yourself. For now, we can remain strangers. However, if you have any specific access needs that you think I should know beforehand, you are welcome to communicate them already.

If you have any questions otherwise, please feel free to ask via email.

Thank you,
Ahmed