Hussein Shikha combines digital fabrication and traditional techniques, reinterpreting Southern Iraqi carpets through ornamental geometric patterns and modern iconography. Iraqi and pop culture motifs are embedded in the works, as codes that link traditions to digital connections.

An artist, designer, writer, and researcher, Shikha uses textiles as a medium. It’s almost hard to distinguish whether they are ancient, modern, or futuristic. While referencing classical patterns, they used them to think about what’s happening right now. The diasporic narratives and symbolism spark interest and curiosity, decoding how artifacts acquire new meanings as they move across cultures, yet retain a life containing heritage, memory and community.

Hussein Shikha by Lina van Hulle

Garden of Eden