Khadija Dikko

Flat Cotton Fabrics that have been double dyed using the woven shibori technique. A green and orange one and purple and yellow

Khadija Dikko, a textile designer, immerses herself in the realms of colour, identity and culture by drawing inspiration from her personal history and experiences. Having completed her BA at Falmouth University, specializing in woven textiles, she explored her cultural heritage through intricate weaving structures on the loom, deepening her understanding of how her own identity intersects with her cultural roots.

Since embarking on her journey at the Royal College of Art, Khadija has further developed her artistic practice, fuelled by her unique encounters and personal history. Her current focus lies in examining the concept of home for herself as someone who grew up in diverse locations and is accustomed to frequent relocations that she has experienced since she was a year old.

These explorations serve as the primary motivation behind her creative endeavours as she delves into the significance of numerous transitions, spanning various states within Nigeria, different countries like Nigeria and England, and even encompassing counties such as North Yorkshire, Cornwall and Greater London.

Khadija Standing next to a warping mill in the RCA textiles workshop area, specifically where the looms are. Facing sideways.

Tsuntsuwa Che - She is a Bird

What does home mean to someone who grew up in different places and frequently moved around?

Is it possible to ever experience the deep feeling of having a place that truly feels like home?

Can I completely immerse myself in a space or location without the fear of never returning or only returning sporadically?

Instead of focusing on an imagined ideal of what home should feel like, I am exploring the places I have previously lived in, trying to make sense of them and create a blend of homes that encapsulates my experiences. This way, even if I move to a new place, I will carry pieces of my past built environments.

I intend to assemble them into a wall hanging, allowing my many "homes" to travel with me and provide a sense of comfort wherever I go. Through the combination of introspective exploration, Indigo dyeing (a component of Hausa culture) alongside woven shibori technique, and film photography, I aim to delve into the connections I have formed with the various built environments I have inhabited. Film photography serves as a means of self-expression and self-documentation, providing glimpses into my personal narrative.

Film photography holds great importance in this storytelling process. It has allowed me to take initial steps in exploring a new city, connecting with people and establishing relationships in a way that resembles the experience of calling a place "home." Black and white film holds a special place in my story due to its association with my father. A black and white photograph is one of the very few images I have of him, representing the beginning of my narrative even before it became my own.

Combining these different mediums, cultural practices, and personal narratives, I am creating a representation of what home might mean to me. By perceiving my homes as a collective experience that intertwines rather than distinct time periods of my life, I am exploring the possibility of feeling grounded by carrying tangible pieces of my past with me and having them serve as a reminder of who I am are and where I come from, irrespective of my physical location.

Dye experimentation – Dyed colour samples stitched together dyed/dipped in Indigo vat at varying times.

Stitched resist dyed in two different dye baths, then dyed/dipped in Indigo vat at varying times.

Dyed colour samples that were dyed/dipped in Indigo vat at varying times.

35mm Film Photograph – This particular image captured in Soho is part of my film roll, which greatly influenced my choice of colours for my project.

35mm Film Photograph

Medium:

Film photography and direct dyes on cotton fabrics

Photo Archive

Putting archival images together serves as a means to tangibly witness and enable the merging of these different aspects of myself, ultimately leading to the realisation that I can cultivate a more expansive concept of belonging.

Images collaged from various photo walks and self-portrait.

Images from photo walks around London.

Images from photo walks, Plymouth and double-exposed film photographs of Eden project and Dartmoor Park.

Images from photo walks around London, Plymouth and Falmouth.

Images from Photo walks around London, Family home (Nigeria) and Falmouth.

Medium:

Film photography and collage

Tsuntsuwa Che – She is a Bird

The structures I created in this project were inspired by the film photographs I took along the way. They represent a fusion of the captivating elements I captured through my London photography and the collages derived from my exploration of the built environments I lived in/around in the past. These pieces hold a profound personal symbolism, reflecting my upbringing and experiences of frequent relocation.

Undyed woven shibori

Medium:

Woven white cotton fabrics

Dye lab

Medium:

Video

Khadija Dikko

Tsuntsuwa Che - She is a Bird

Medium:

Photo Archive

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Tsuntsuwa Che – She is a Bird

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Social

About

Royal College of Art