Fatma Ali Abed (b.1997) is an Architect, Artist, and Designer whose practice lies at the intersection of space, memory, and craft. Moving fluidly between photography, installation, embroidery, and event design, she stitches together stories of place and time with both architectural precision and poetic sensitivity.
Her work is deeply rooted in the landscapes of the UAE, particularly Liwa, where vast deserts cradle abandoned yet beautiful architecture. To Fatma, these spaces are not ruins, but living archives structures holding whispers of memory, fragments of lives once lived, and the fragile tension between permanence and decay.
Her installations often carry a whimsical spirit, weaving traditional references with contemporary expressions. Embroidery, in her hands, becomes architectural: thread as line, fabric as façade, each stitch a gesture of preservation and reinvention. Likewise, her approach to event design transforms gatherings into immersive narratives spaces where architecture, artistry, and storytelling converge to create memorable cultural experiences.
At its essence, Fatma Ali’s work is about rethinking how we inhabit memory. She transforms overlooked fragments of tradition and forgotten spaces into bold, evocative statements that bridge heritage and imagination, past and present.
STATEMENT:
From the golden dunes of Liwa to the quiet whispers of abandoned walls, my work is a dialogue with the UAE’s architectural memory. I seek out spaces that many see as forgotten and breathe new life into them—through photography, installations, and embroidery that blur the lines between art and architecture. Each piece is a testament to tradition reimagined, where silence becomes narrative, and cultural fragments are preserved, transformed, and celebrated. In every thread, every frame, and every structure, I aim to honor the spirit of place while rethinking how the past continues to shape our present.