Fatima al Kindi
Fatima al Kindi is an Emirati artist whose work has been exhibited many times in the U.A.E., including the MIA exhibition, Festember, and Manarat Al Saadiyat Virtual Art Gallery. Looking at Al Kindi’s creations, the energy exuded transcends the canvas.
Sunshine, 2024, marker on paper, 30x40cm. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
Gut Feeling, 2020, latex paint on canvas, 239×155cm. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
Al Kindi’s artistic journey started with an urge to share her perspective—what she found cool, interesting, and worth seeing. She didn’t realize she wanted to be an artist until after her first exhibition in Abu Dhabi, where she showcased a series of photographs she took in New York City out of a strong desire to capture the moments.
What's Your Escape, 2018, print on canvas, 40x60cm each. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
What's Your Escape, 2018, print on canvas, 40x60cm each. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
“Years later, I saw art by artists from the United Arab Emirates, my country, being showcased and admired in Italy, and it made me realize—this is possible, this could be me showcasing my work around the world.”
Escapism, 2021, acrylic on print, 40x60cm. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
However, Al Kindi never thought she would take this career seriously until she had the opportunity to take a few art classes at university. She fell in love with the process, which she describes as the research, the mood-boarding, the preparation, and the hours spent materializing what she sees in her head. Even though she has spent years in art school and the art scene, she truly feels like this is just the beginning.
Touching Grass, 2020, latex paint and rain water on canvas, 240x150cm. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
“I love experimenting, trying new things, and exploring different mediums and styles. My work may not always make sense to others, but it makes perfect sense to me.”
Woven Memories Series, 2023, weaved canvas with latex paint, 30x40cm each piece. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
When talking about her inspirations, Al Kindi says she is deeply inspired by nature and fashion. Namely textiles, colors, the beach, and the sky. She is obsessed with the sun—the way it feels on her skin, how it brings warmth and light, how it changes everything it touches. Her friends are also her biggest inspiration and muses. She is inspired by people’s energy, the way they interact, the little rituals and moments that make life feel full.
Artistically, she admires Constant Bagel Therapy and similar artists. Their work is youthful and fun yet profound and to the point. She hopes to unlock that simplicity and joy in her own practice one day.
COVA, 2024, mixed media on canvas, 150x190cm, including inspiration picture. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
COVA, 2024, mixed media on canvas, 150x190cm, detail. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
“I know these things take time and consistency, but I trust the process.”
To describe Al Kindi’s creative process—having structured studio hours is important to her, as it allows her to build a flow, and flow is everything when creating.
Still Light, 2024, mixed media on canvas, 120x100cm, studio. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
Still Light, 2024, mixed media on canvas, 120x100cm, detail. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
Al Kindi collects images, takes pictures of things that inspire her, and creates mood boards obsessively. She also loves referencing art from different time periods and weaving those influences into her own work. When she steps into her studio, she pulls from her mood boards and starts planning what’s next.
“I love capturing moments—whether it’s a place, a feeling, or a color palette that I can sit and admire for hours. My goal is to translate that admiration into something tangible, something people can experience with me.”
Studio, work in progress. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
Sometimes ideas come to Al Kindi organically, sometimes they are happy accidents, and often they stem from the pictures she has taken.
“I love large-scale works—art that feels bigger than me. When I’m deep in my process, I love when I go on autopilot, when my body just knows what to do next. That’s when I feel most connected to my work.”
For Al Kindi, there’s something so intimate about creating—it’s just her and her craft, completely immersed in the moment. The way time passes when she is doing what she loves, the joy of seeing an idea come to life—it’s one of the best feelings in the world. She also loves that something she found so fun was taken so seriously.
Baby Blues, 2023, clay and acrylic paint, 30x40cm. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
Being Emirati and a globetrotter, a few locations that have shaped Al Kindi’s work are her home, Abu Dhabi, New York City, and Venice. Abu Dhabi is where she grew up, and she wants to capture her experience of it in her own way. New York City opened her eyes to the joy of creating—it made her realize the endless possibilities of art. Venice solidified the belief that she could be part of this world. For her, art wasn’t seen as a career growing up—it was just a hobby. Seeing art being celebrated on an international scale made her rethink that narrative.
Levels of Awareness, 2020, latex paint on canvas, 276×150cm. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
Al Kindi’s friends influence her work tremendously:
“I want to capture our moments, our rituals, the energy we share. One of my favorite projects was a large-scale installation inspired by the sun and Emirati jewelry, which I created with one of my best friends.”
The process was incredible—they bounced ideas off each other, researched, went on field trips, met with artists and designers, and even presented the concept to decision-makers involved in commissioning public art. That collaboration was pure magic.
Installation. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
Al Kindi shared that she had a professor who once joked that “the strangest pieces are the ones that sell.” That rewired her brain. She realized that she is drawn to the weird, the unfinished, the youthful, the grandiose. She wants to create art that people don’t just look at but feel.
“You are allowed to create good art, bad art, and mediocre art—just create, create, create.” It’s a reminder for Al Kindi that everything takes practice, and through that practice, she will refine her voice, her style, her distinct artistic language.
Escapism, 2021, acrylic on print, 40x60cm. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
“I hope that one day, people will feel something when they see my work—the way I feel when I see my favorite art pieces. I want my work to resonate, to feel familiar yet slightly strange, to be something people want to live with, whether in a museum or in their home. I hope to create pieces that leave an imprint, like a favorite memory.”
As of now, Al Kindi’s artwork was featured in the Arab, French, Spanish and Japanese press. Some of her pieces currently reside at the Abu Dhabi St. Regis residences, boutique hotels, and with international art collectors.
Moving Forward, 2023, crayon on canvas, 150x150cm. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
Moving Forward, 2023, crayon on canvas, 150x150cm. Photo courtesy: Fatima al Kindi.
In the future, she is excited to create more, explore new ideas, and experiment with different colors, landscapes, and scales. Until recently, Al Kindi has been taking a break to prioritize her health and she calls it her “hiatus” era. Post hiatus, taking a step back gave her time to reflect on what she truly loves about art—the freedom to evolve and express herself in endless ways. She wants to keep pushing her work forward, discovering new perspectives, and sharing pieces that feel both familiar and exciting.
Memories and Whispers, 2020, latex paint on canvas, 257x147cm. Photo courtesy: Fatima Al Kindi.
Exhibitions:
Festembr, 2018
Warehouse 421 online, 2020
MIA Collection online, 2020
MIA Collection physical, 2021
Link with Fati on:
Sherry Wu (Yongyi)
Emerging Artist Co-Editor, MADE IN BED