ARTIST FEATURE 10: KHADIJA CHOUDHURY

It's our 13th Artist Feature today. Thirteen might be an unlucky number for some, but we've got a fabulous female artist this week for number thirteen to help change your mind... It's a short but sweet feature on the wonderfully talented Khadija Choudhury. 

Khadija graduated from the University of Brighton with Honours in Fine Art Painting last year.  Her paintings are an outcome of unrestricted processes, embracing energy and expressing personal experiences from an intimate moment in time. What stands out most about Khadija's work is her playfullness with movement and colour in each piece, with each composition exploring freedom, love, obsession, loss and loneliness in it's conformed canvas space. As an exploration of personal subjectivities and experiences, Khadija's work serves to portray more than simply automatic drawings and paintings. Fusing energetic movement with space for contemplation and stillness to connect with the fragility of peace and mindfulness, she creates something truly unique.  

After a recent move from Brighton to London, she's been causing waves in the London scene, with a recent feature in an exhibition put on by Ollie Quinn in celebration of female artists, record cover artwork for local musicians and new work being exhibited at the upcoming Hampstead Affordable Arts fair. There's exciting things ahead for this bad-ass lady. 


Hello! It's lovely to talk to you. Will you introduce yourself?

Hello! I'm Khadija, I'm 24, and I'm a painter. I currently live in London. 

How do you find inspiration for your work?

It varies, but I find a lot of inspiration comes to me through good and bad situations and through exploring identity. Also, through being sure of feeling and being felt, from conversations and stories... All these aspects inspire me to build a narrative through shape, form and colour.

Ill Part II, 2017, Oil, oil stick, spray paint and charcoal on canvas, 180 x 180 cm,

We personally find your work very powerful to look at. Most of the time, it's a very positive feeling. Perhaps it's due to your often bright colour palette. How do you decide which colours to use?

Yes, I definitely use certain colours purposely. I like the idea of using many oppositions to create an extremity; extreme feelings, or representing the tangible and intangible. Whether it is love or loss, the two concepts are shown as opposites in colour.  The representations have a purpose and shown in usually complimentary colours.

Do you enjoy taking risks with your work?

Yes! Always! Even if it’s a bad decision or it doesn’t end up working, the progress to getting to and beyond that point is important. I find taking risks particular interesting, as they kind of develop into something to overcome. I usually ruin my work and end up destroying my paintings in the process of making them, but eventually bringing them back from destruction.

Bebe, 2017, Oil on canvas, 45 x 45 cm

Which is more important to you, the original idea of your painting, or the way it is executed? 

If I had to say one, it would be the original idea of my paintings. I set a theme and concept for each work, so they have their own narrative and each portray the experience or feeling or idea in my head in a very unique way. That original idea for each painting is what stays with me throughout the process, and motivates me to start to finish 

Do you feel that Brighton (and London!) hold good opportunities for young artists?

Both do, definitely. In Brighton, there is such a sense of community amongst creatives. Everyone uplifts each other, artists help other artists. I really experienced that, as I studied Fine Art Painting there. Working in Brighton has really helped and developed my practice, and then taking being able to take it on to London to really broaden my opportunities, push myself and taking my work further has been amazing. I’ve recently moved to London for that reason, really.

Squeeze Berry, 2017, Oil paint, oil stick and spray paint on canvas, 180 x 180 cm,

You've done a lot of exciting collaborations with up-and-coming companies, Lomaka Gallery and Auc Art, as well as lots of with local musicians. Do you have anything new coming up?

I will be a part of the Hampstead Affordable Art fair from 4^th to the 22^nd of May which is exciting! The fair not only showcases artists, but also hosts a programme of workshops, talks and tours as well as evening openings and pop-up events. A couple of my newer large works will be showing there, and I’ve also got two smaller paintings at the Lomaka Gallery stand. I’ll let you know more soon!

And last but not least…. Who are your favourite artists?

Christian Rosa, Lucy Dodd, Peter Halley and Cyfford Still.  

You can find more of Khadija's work on her website. To purchase any of her pieces, see her profile with Lomaka Gallery on Artsty.