The Land of Upright Men
Artist: Rihanata Bigey
2025
Indigo mud-cloth fabric and raffia
La Terre des Hommes Integres, translates to “The Land of Upright Men” references Burkina Faso also speaking to the urgent need for integrity in our current society. This textile-based work weaves together heritage, identity and hope. Drawing from traditional indigo dyeing techniques and natural fibres, it reflects the deep cultural roots and resilience of a people. The bold embroidered words is a universal call for dignity and honesty. Through texture, material and for this piece speaks of history, labour and the weight of meaning carried by both fabric and language.
Rihanata Bigey is a French-Burkinabè multi-disciplinary artist based in London. Her practice takes inspiration from African cultural heritage and society through painting, sculpture, and installation. She is looking at the culture specifically through the lens of femininity. Rihanata’s work explores the iconographic significance of the Black female body in modern Culture from Western and African societies. Rihanata exhumes the physical and psychological impact of the Black Female body and representation as an icon and subject of fantasy; questioning the multiple layers of black women's image and identity through the prism of assimilation. Through her art, Rihanata also explores the houses and communities these objects are found in, and how the environment where a once-traditional object is placed can alter the meaning of the said object. Looking into her memories and experiences, Rihanata aims to show another vision of culture through imagination.
Artist: Rihanata Bigey
2025
Indigo mud-cloth fabric and raffia
La Terre des Hommes Integres, translates to “The Land of Upright Men” references Burkina Faso also speaking to the urgent need for integrity in our current society. This textile-based work weaves together heritage, identity and hope. Drawing from traditional indigo dyeing techniques and natural fibres, it reflects the deep cultural roots and resilience of a people. The bold embroidered words is a universal call for dignity and honesty. Through texture, material and for this piece speaks of history, labour and the weight of meaning carried by both fabric and language.
Rihanata Bigey is a French-Burkinabè multi-disciplinary artist based in London. Her practice takes inspiration from African cultural heritage and society through painting, sculpture, and installation. She is looking at the culture specifically through the lens of femininity. Rihanata’s work explores the iconographic significance of the Black female body in modern Culture from Western and African societies. Rihanata exhumes the physical and psychological impact of the Black Female body and representation as an icon and subject of fantasy; questioning the multiple layers of black women's image and identity through the prism of assimilation. Through her art, Rihanata also explores the houses and communities these objects are found in, and how the environment where a once-traditional object is placed can alter the meaning of the said object. Looking into her memories and experiences, Rihanata aims to show another vision of culture through imagination.
Artist: Rihanata Bigey
2025
Indigo mud-cloth fabric and raffia
La Terre des Hommes Integres, translates to “The Land of Upright Men” references Burkina Faso also speaking to the urgent need for integrity in our current society. This textile-based work weaves together heritage, identity and hope. Drawing from traditional indigo dyeing techniques and natural fibres, it reflects the deep cultural roots and resilience of a people. The bold embroidered words is a universal call for dignity and honesty. Through texture, material and for this piece speaks of history, labour and the weight of meaning carried by both fabric and language.
Rihanata Bigey is a French-Burkinabè multi-disciplinary artist based in London. Her practice takes inspiration from African cultural heritage and society through painting, sculpture, and installation. She is looking at the culture specifically through the lens of femininity. Rihanata’s work explores the iconographic significance of the Black female body in modern Culture from Western and African societies. Rihanata exhumes the physical and psychological impact of the Black Female body and representation as an icon and subject of fantasy; questioning the multiple layers of black women's image and identity through the prism of assimilation. Through her art, Rihanata also explores the houses and communities these objects are found in, and how the environment where a once-traditional object is placed can alter the meaning of the said object. Looking into her memories and experiences, Rihanata aims to show another vision of culture through imagination.