Artist: Adama Conteh

A yellow, sculptural piece made up of braided strands of foam-like material, lying horizontally across the floor in the shape of a wave.

Space to Heal

MA Textiles
Royal College of Art

Adama is a multidisciplinary artist.

Working across textiles, physical spaces, the digital realm and with people, process is central to Adama’s multidisciplinary practice. Using her practice to unpack her personal experiences of racism, cultural identity and representation – most recently through the lens of her relationship with her afro hair – her works explores how making can engage and help to care for the Black community. Creating healing spaces to facilitate healing processes, Adama uses materials as a tool to encourage conversations, and artworks as prompts for dialogue.

Space to Heal

In:Site 2024

Adama was one of 14 artists selected to produce a participatory, drop-in workshop for a public audience at In:Site 2024. Exploring the theme of care, their workshop developed and incorporated the ideas, techniques, approaches and materials used in their own practice.

Artist Adama Conteh looking up some of the works made by the general public during her workshop, which are hanging above her in a gazebo.

Photograph by Hayley Salter

Inspired by the identities of those who pass through Cathedral Square, Adama created a collaborative artwork using textile collaging techniques. Working with prompts and questions to get people started, Textile Storytelling offered a range of creative opportunities for people to leave their mark of identity alongside one another.

Close up of hands stitching pink embroidery thread into silk.
Close up of a textile assemblage hanging from a piece of yarn with small clothes pegs. A scrap of denim has been decorated with blue, green and yellow pieces of fabric, and pipecleaners.
Close up of sculptural fabric and pipe cleaner pieces, hanging from a piece of thread, attached with clothes pegs.
A pair of hands with rings on them, threading a needle above an embroidery hoop. The hoop is securing an abstractly embroidered piece of blue and white striped fabric, embellished with green yarn, lime green gingham and electric blue semi-translucent ribbon.

Photographs by Hayley Salter



Where Next?

Artist: Rebecca Leek

Artist showcase.

A close-up section of a larger piece, made up of overlaid abstract shapes in red, blue, and yellow. This is a mixed media piece, comprised of print, embroidery, stitchwork and painting.

Artist: Lucy Ralph

Artist showcase.

A visual and textual informational poster of a young woman wearing a white polo shirt and blue jeans, both of which have been fixed by visible repair through patchworks of red, blue and white fabric scraps. Overlaid onto this photo are the phrases ‘PATCH IT’, ‘Dads old jeans’ and ‘Old school polo’.

Artist: Lola Awolowo

Artist showcase.

A painted, and embroidered portrait of a blue-eyed Black woman, on a background of collaged book pages. Her face is circular and tilted and she has short black hair. Her necklace and earrings are beads embroidered onto the piece’s surface. Her outline has been stitched in yellow thread.

Artist: Katy Gillam-Hull

Artist showcase.

A hand holding a green glass bead between the thumb and forefinger in front of a blurred house and tree.


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