Photography has been a part of my life since I was born.
The idea of having cameras available to my mom
who could document my life sort of growing up.
I've always been the subject of the camera
I think back in the day I was very like a flamboyant child
I'd always be posing which it's sort of changed now
I'm more comfortable behind the camera.
I've become a lot more cautious and aware
of what, of the power that the camera holds.
So even looking at my area and how much it's changed
in terms of the building developments
I can look back at photos and see how
how quickly the space has changed in a matter of like 10 years.
That was an extreme contrast to my area in Ladbroke Grove.
So it was a big culture shock having to adapt
to a very different lifestyle
that I felt very much on the outside
because everyone sort of grew up in this
sort of like opulence and opportunities and the skies the limit.
I wanted to do photography
but I was sort of fighting it because I felt
it's not something I should do,
it's something I should do on the side.
But having such supportive teachers
that actually led me to pursue that
yeah, I'm very grateful to them because if not I wouldn't be here.
Both my parents are from Gambia and
my mother is Christian and my father is Muslim.
So this idea of having these dual faiths
and being brought up going to the mosque and going to church
It's always been something I've always found fascinating
and it's one of the first times I've been able to explore it
through my photography.
Waking up this morning was very strange,
because I woke up to people speaking Italian outside my window
and it just clicked oh no I'm not at home
I'm not in Ladbroke Grove anymore.
And one of my friends said,
"You're an artist."
and I was like, I am now.
It'll be a quite an emotional moment to actually
say Khadijah, you've done it.
It's you know you're up there.
All this work and this emotional journey and
self-doubt and wanting to pack it in and
it's gonna come together and yeah I just can't wait really.
I'm excited to show her the work.
She's extremely proud
and she's been telling everyone
you know "Oh my daughter's going to Venice."
I'm not giving up yet and she won't give up either.