Fabienne Francotte Belgium , b. 1959

Belgium-born Fabienne Francotte's works combine social, emotional and spiritual experiences; the vivid narrative of an expatriate, teacher and observer. Francotte studied calligraphy at Maison du Livre in Brussels, whereby the careful composition of writing demanded a strict, ritualistic approach built on strong gesture and balance. Her portraits are about the characteristics of class, gender, and race. They are a tale of the daily struggle showing distinctive appearances, expressions, and gestures. Her people are everyday and anonymous. The artist moved to Sri Lanka in 2016 after which she began engaging and communicating conflicting issues in Sri Lanka today: school and education, dreams and weddings, sex and business, silence and fear, courage and dedication, as well as religion and tolerance. Her works are often surveys of her surroundings and environment;  juxtapositions of emotional exchanges and simple observations.