2019
Galle Literature Festival
Art trail - Galle Fort, Sri Lanka
Francotte’s portraits shown here in Galle tell a story, they are symbolizing the grace and importance of Muslim individuals in the Fort. She creates portraits showing magnetic personalities rather than celebrities.
The characters are all anonymous. She never works with real originals, she treats her models like images of her imagination. The installation extending the limits of graffiti showing monumental poster prints invites you to an emphatic compassion.
Her style is simple and her drawing is powerful. The portrait is central and the details are surprising even in this open space minimised work.
Press
Artra Magazine, Sri Lanka
"Inspired by her personal journey through daily life and complexity of identity of each persona she encounters, Fabienne Francotte’s portraits at the Galle Art Trail explore the stories of the Muslim individuals who reside in the Fort.
Born in Belgium, now residing in Colombo, Fabienne’s work of art are a visual interpretation of her encounters with different faces and experiences. As these symbolic works of art adorned the ancient walls of the Dutch Governor’s Mansions, it was succinct that each stroke on her drawings detailed her experience as she fondly recalled the individuals and their striking characteristics that inspired her portraits.
The installation extended the limits of graffiti showing magnetic poster prints of personalities that are of grace and importance while evoking emphatic compassion."