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Lot Essay
A veiled woman rises with a quiet yet commanding presence, her monumental figure occupying almost the entire composition. Characteristic of Fatma Lootah’s practice, the portrait is rendered in deep, sombre tones, with the woman’s solemn face partially concealed by the black folds of her thoub. Only her right arm and hand emerge from the enveloping garment, while the simplified treatment of her facial features and body reduces the figure to an interplay of silhouette, colour and gesture. Fine strokes of gold trace the woman’s chest and wrist, recalling the intricate embroidery of traditional talli, their luminosity punctuating the dark palette of her clothing. The black gradually gives way to deep red and blue before dissolving into the pale grey ground, creating a fluid transition between figure and surrounding space. The woman appears at once defined and dissolving, her presence emerging from the composition while remaining inseparable from it.
The interplay between traditional dress and modern abstraction reflects Lootah’s enduring engagement with the relationship between Emirati heritage and contemporary identity. The reference to talli grounds the figure in the cultural traditions of the Gulf, while the dissolution of her form into the surrounding space suggests a process of transformation. More than an individual portrait, the figure takes on a broader symbolic resonance, evoking the strength, resilience and enduring presence of Gulf women across generations. Monumental yet contemplative, she becomes both a bearer of cultural memory and a reflection on the evolving nature of female identity within a changing society.
The present work originates from the prestigious Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, one of the Gulf’s leading institutions dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Arab art. Its presentation alongside four works by pioneering female artists in Christie’s anniversary auction reflects the Foundation’s longstanding commitment to a gender-balanced and historically inclusive approach to collecting and championing Arab artistic practice.
Fatma Lootah is a prominent Emirati artist whose practice encompasses painting, performance and installation. Born and raised in Dubai, she studied at the Art Academy of Baghdad before moving to Washington, D.C. to further her artistic education. She relocated to Verona, Italy, in 1983, where she has continued to live and work while maintaining a strong connection to the UAE. In 2010, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum gifted her a studio in Dubai’s historic Al Fahidi neighbourhood following a visit to one of her solo exhibitions. Lootah’s work is deeply rooted in Emirati heritage, exploring cultural memory, identity and the relationship between tradition and contemporary life, with women occupying a recurring place within her imagery.
She has exhibited extensively in Europe, the Middle East and the United States, including a presentation of her work in Times Square, New York, as part of the Nasdaq Artist in Residence programme.
The interplay between traditional dress and modern abstraction reflects Lootah’s enduring engagement with the relationship between Emirati heritage and contemporary identity. The reference to talli grounds the figure in the cultural traditions of the Gulf, while the dissolution of her form into the surrounding space suggests a process of transformation. More than an individual portrait, the figure takes on a broader symbolic resonance, evoking the strength, resilience and enduring presence of Gulf women across generations. Monumental yet contemplative, she becomes both a bearer of cultural memory and a reflection on the evolving nature of female identity within a changing society.
The present work originates from the prestigious Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, one of the Gulf’s leading institutions dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Arab art. Its presentation alongside four works by pioneering female artists in Christie’s anniversary auction reflects the Foundation’s longstanding commitment to a gender-balanced and historically inclusive approach to collecting and championing Arab artistic practice.
Fatma Lootah is a prominent Emirati artist whose practice encompasses painting, performance and installation. Born and raised in Dubai, she studied at the Art Academy of Baghdad before moving to Washington, D.C. to further her artistic education. She relocated to Verona, Italy, in 1983, where she has continued to live and work while maintaining a strong connection to the UAE. In 2010, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum gifted her a studio in Dubai’s historic Al Fahidi neighbourhood following a visit to one of her solo exhibitions. Lootah’s work is deeply rooted in Emirati heritage, exploring cultural memory, identity and the relationship between tradition and contemporary life, with women occupying a recurring place within her imagery.
She has exhibited extensively in Europe, the Middle East and the United States, including a presentation of her work in Times Square, New York, as part of the Nasdaq Artist in Residence programme.