F.man, Bridging Culture and Religion Through Art: A Creative Journey from the UAE to the Vatican

VISUAL CONCEPTUAL ARTIST

F . m a n

Born in Brussels Belgium visual artist and a proud UAE resident, working between the UAE and Europe. She graduated from the Art Academy Sint-Lukas in Brussels.

As a visual artist, she creates immersive artworks that combine painting, sculpture, photography, performance, digital art, light art and technology. Her practice is defined by innovation and a distinctive approach to technique: many of her works evolve with light and time, revealing multiple layers and perspectives.

She is a versatile and idealistic artist who always delights in virtuosity and dexterity in the handling of styles, techniques and artistic diversity. Her Art offers a new perspective on ancient subjects such as portraits and nature and alternates with abstractions deeply related to the purity of being. Thanks to the innovative techniques she invented, her paintings evolve with light and time and emanate from depth, emotion and magnetism.

Her career spans key milestones in Belgium and internationally: an early breakthrough, first major exhibition organized by the Royal Theatre La Monnaie (Brussels, 1992); the contest-winning monumental public artwork “Manneke Pis” in the Sablon (Brussels, 1995–2002) with a clear anti-racism statement; and “Atome” Public Art in Antwerp within the cultural context of the “Tuymans Experiment” (Klara / MoMA link, 2008).

Rooted in the UAE’s cultural landscape, She has lectured at the Sea of Culture Foundation Sharjah, and at the Canadian University Dubai. Her key projects include commissioned presentations at the Etihad Museum Dubai (2017) and the “Rainbow Tunnel” installation at Louvre Abu Dhabi (2018) a 26-metre immersive passage conceived as a bridge between worlds and cultures, with works transforming through light and time. She also curated and exhibited at the Belgian Pavilion, World Expo Dubai 2020, for “Woman in Art” alongside Fatma Lootah.

In parallel to her UAE trajectory, F.man created the two sister works “L’Accordo di Pace” one for the Deanery of Leuven and one intended for Pope Francis as an artistic reflection on the historic interreligious peace moment that took place in Abu Dhabi, involving Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed Al-Tayeb, enabled through the initiative of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The second work is now visible in a meeting room of Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican (03/03/2026).