Christina de Korte

At the moment, I am in Cairo working on a project in collaboration with @masq.hub, @archinosarchitecture, and @duco.eg. During the children's winter camp @masq.hub in the Mamluk Desert, I organize a five-day workshop around the theme of the Egyptian textile technique khayamiya. The first day, we talked about khayamiya, and the children drew their own design (photo 1-6). On the second day, we started to paint the mural together (photo 7-8). Many more photos will follow, but I am just too excited not to share some snapshots yet of these first two days. The whole process is being documented in great detail by @adham.naeem from @duco.eg. This project was not possible without the 'Grensverlegger' grant from @kfhein Photo 1-7 by @nadadarweshs Photo 8 by @adham.naeem

While it is freezing in the Netherlands, I am preparing the mural and the workshop that I will give at the end of January during the winter camp in the Mamluk Desert in Cairo, organized by the Sultan Foundation, @masq.hub, and @archinosarchitecture. The theme of the winter camp is ‘Patterns of the Desert’, and I will create a mural—together with the children—based on my research of the Egyptian textile technique khayamiya. I am truly looking forward to this project and will post updates on the progress. This project is supported by the 'Grensverlegger' grant from @kfhein

I started 2025 with my father in Egypt, and I ended this year with my mother in Cairo. I'm glad I was able to share my passion for Egypt with the people who support me with literally every plan I have had since I was born. Some highlights of our short trip: - My mom visiting (the area of) the Street of the Tentmakers (photo 1 + 2) - Exploring Khan Al Khalili (photo 3), including this antique store with textiles and jewelry (this photo shows a bridal veil from Siwa Oasis) (photo 4) - Umbrella in front of Al Hussein Mosque (photo 5) - Visiting the Pyramids of Giza (photo 6) - The textiles from the tomb of Tutankhamun at the Grand Egyptian Museum (photo 7) - First time seeing a pigeon tower up close in Fayoum (photo 8) - Looking at Tunis at @fayoumartcenter (photo 9) - Exhibition 'Concrete Blooms' by @seif_el_rashidi, @markazegypt and many tentmakers (photo 10)

I am thrilled to announce that one of the projects I have been working on last period has received the 'Grensverlegger' grant from @kfhein. Soon, I will share more about this mural project in Cairo in collaboration with the Sultan Foundation. Thanks to @collagearchief for proofreading my application!

Cairo Design Week 22-29 November 2025 Received these photos from the work of Angela Hanna and me at @nvicairo during @cairo.design.week. We were invited to discuss our research on khayamiya and mashrabiya, as we were both guest researcher at @nvicairo this year. Designed by Ariel Singer

Sometimes textiles are so attractive that I have to paint them to study their colour palette and patterns. Find the first two new works of the Fayoum Finds series on my artist page on the website of @rademakersgallery: https://www.rademakersgallery.com/nl/artists/309-christina-de-korte/

Phone snapshots from last week 🔵 A translation of an embroidered textile from Sinai that I found in Fayoum, Egypt

New series in the making 💙 Gouache on A3 paper (320 g/m2)

The @rabbanifoundation organized yesterday its Informal Dialogue Series with the theme 'Textiles as Storytellers: Cultural Memory in Fabric'. @abbadi.fatima presented her research on tatreez, and I talked about khayamiya. It was a wonderful afternoon, during which we discussed a wide variety of textiles, including some examples that some of the attendees brought. Photos by @rabbanifoundation

During my research in Egypt at the beginning of this year, I collected various objects that caught my attention as interesting additions to the @textileresearchcentre collection, including Ramadan decorations, khayamiya, and religious accessories. Please find via the link the blog on the website of the TRC that I wrote on these objects: https://trcleiden.nl/trc/index.php/en/blog/1764-new-additions-to-the-trc-collection-from-egypt

Yesterday was the graduation ceremony for my research master Religious Studies, which was a beautiful moment to end my time as a student at @utrechtuniversity. I feel so grateful for my student time here, because I enjoyed every part of it; from falling in love with Egyptian textiles to doing extensive fieldwork, and from reading intensely every day and having discussions with my passionate teachers and classmates to visiting conferences on a wide variety of topics. In my master’s thesis, I discussed khayamiya—an appliqué technique that is primarily used for decorating panels for large, handmade tents, but nowadays the technique is also used for other objects, such as cushion covers. By following the route of various types of khayamiya through Cairo’s streets—focused on the contemporary usages before and during Ramadan—and taking courses in the Street of the Tentmakers, my thesis analyzed in which ways khayamiya is part of an Islamic world. I want to thank again the support from Utrecht University; my thesis supervisor, prof. dr. Birgit Meyer, second reader, prof. dr. Christian Lange, all the teachers who thought along the way during my master’s, and my proofreader, Marieke Jeurissen (@_marieke2002). Last but not least, I want to thank all my respondents I talked with during my research: the tentmakers—especially my khayamiya teacher Ahmed, the farrashin (the tent builders), the Ramadan salesmen, and other researchers and textile enthusiasts. My research in Egypt was not possible without the financial support of Jo Kolk Fonds, Hendrik Muller Fonds, @rabbanifoundation, and, the @nvicairo, where I could work as a guest researcher. The black dress that I am wearing is a Nubian gergar that @monagikh and @shaima_shou got me in Egypt. Photos by @pieterdk155

Updated my website, including the latest exhibitions and the documentation of my studio by Lize Kraan for @deplaatsmaker www.christinadekorte.nl

The final weeks of 'Nieuwe Lijnen' at Museum @villamondriaan in Winterswijk - on show until 2 November With works by curator @mari_ann (whose work is on the last photo), @iekelienestange @dirry.nl @lisettevanhoogenhuyze @judiths_pool @carmenschabracq @joana.n.schneider @hadassah.emmerich Photo 1: @erwin_kamp_fotografie For more information, see: https://villamondriaan.nl/en/exhibitions/new-lines-between-friendship-and-association/

Working on a new colour studies series, but first a throwback to this one I made during my residency @ard_art_institution_ in Cairo in 2023. (10,5 x 15,5 cm each) Photo by @leoniek_photography

Recently, I came across photos from when I studied for one semester at the glass department at the Vilnius Academy of Arts (@vdakaunofakultetas) in Kaunas (Lithuania) in 2017, which was an incredibly enriching experience. I learned, among other things, the basic principles of glass blowing, jewelry making, and developing film in the dark room.

Studio day 🥭

Spent a morning at @museumvoorlinden with my mom and spotted the wrapping paper with my work on it still in use in the museum shop. ❤ 2. Work by Leandro Erlich 3. Detail of an installation by Simone Post 4. Installation made out of books by Anouk Kruithof 5. My mom in front of the work by Ron Mueck

Back in the studio! 📸by @r_speijer

Suddenly, I was able to defend my master’s thesis on khayamiya earlier than expected. This morning, I heard that my master’s thesis is graded with a 9, meaning that I graduated cum laude from the research master Religious Studies at Utrecht University. In 2015, I started studying Fine Art (BA) at the @dekunstvanhku in Utrecht, followed by Language and Culture studies (BA) at @utrechtuniversity. At first, I wanted to continue studying to deepen my artistic practice and look beyond the 'western' scope of my previous education, but I quickly realized that doing research and having an art practice reinforce each other. I decided to apply for the research master Religious Studies at Utrecht University, in which I could combine all my passions, such as art, Arabic, Islam, textiles, and religion. This master’s thesis felt like the outcome of all the things I learned along the way during my student time. First of all, I want to thank my respondents: the tentmakers, the farrashin (the tent builders), the Ramadan salesmen, and other researchers and textile enthusiasts who helped to paint a broader picture of khayamiya in Egypt and abroad. Moreover, I am very grateful for my Egyptian friends who drove me around to hunt tents, sent me photos of khayamiya panels, helped to translate where needed, and joined me to go to neighborhoods that were unknown to me. I want to thank the support from Utrecht University; my supervisor, prof. dr. Birgit Meyer, second reader, prof. dr. Christian Lange, all the teachers who thought along the way in the process of this research, and my proofreader, Marieke Jeurissen (@_marieke2002). My research in Egypt was not possible without the financial support of Jo Kolk Fonds, Hendrik Muller Fonds, @rabbanifoundation, and, of course, the @nvicairo, where I could work as a guest researcher.

Even though I still need to defend my master's thesis later this summer, the handing in marks the end of my student era, from which I enjoyed quite literally every minute. What an extreme privilege to spend so much time on topics that fascinate me during the research master's religious studies at Utrecht University. This academic year, I started my research on Egyptian khayamiya with an internship at the @textileresearchcentre in Leiden during the first semester, and I continued with fieldwork in Egypt and writing my thesis in the second semester. This project felt like a wonderful way to finish my time as a student, and to combine my interests in topics such as art, textiles, Islam, (material) religion, history, popular culture, and (living) heritage. Soon, I will have some exciting news about future projects 💥 This research was not possible without the financial support of Scholten Cordes Fonds during the first semester and of Jo Kolk Fonds, Hendrik Muller Fonds, @rabbanifoundation during the second semester.