Timika Sukhai

Timika Sukhai is a South African–born writer and curator whose practice engages critically with archival histories, Indigenous knowledge systems, and creative storytelling. She holds a Master of Arts in English and History from the University of Dundee, where her academic work developed a strong focus on postcolonial narratives, displacement, and the politics of memory.

Working across research, experimental writing, and curatorial practice, Timika examines how colonial archives have shaped and distorted representations of Indigenous and marginalised communities. She approaches the archive as a living, contested space, using creative and critical methodologies to unsettle dominant historical frameworks while foregrounding resilience, continuity, and lived experience. Her practice is grounded in an ethics of care, advocacy, and community-led engagement.

Her curatorial and research work has developed through collaborations with artists, cultural organisations, and community-led initiatives across exhibitions, public programmes, and creative projects. She is also an art writer for Contemporary Lynx, an Eastern European arts magazine, where she contributes critical perspectives on contemporary art, exhibitions, and cultural production.

Her previous project Beyond Barbarians (2025) was developed through Fragile Correspondence, a writing residency by V&A Dundee that supported her exploration of experimental writing and archival histories of the Scottish Highlands.

In August 2026, Timika was selected as a curator for the RMB Latitudes and Art School Africa’s CuratorLab, further developing her curatorial research through a programme focused on contemporary artistic practices across Africa and its wider networks. Her online exhibition, The Weight of Distance, explores the historical and contemporary connections between Africa and Brazil, tracing the cultural exchanges, diasporic movements, and shared histories that have shaped relationships across the Atlantic.

Her professional experience includes working with the University of Dundee’s Archive and Museum Services, supporting collections care, interpretation, and public engagement. This experience strengthened her commitment to ethical representation, inclusive storytelling, and creating meaningful connections between art, history, and diverse audiences.

Through curatorial practice, writing, and research, Timika seeks to reframe historical narratives, amplify marginalised voices, and position storytelling as a form of cultural reclamation. Her long-term practice is concerned with creating interdisciplinary spaces that centre lived experience, community knowledge, and creative expression, while contributing to the reimagining of contemporary art institutions across Africa and beyond.