Bridging East & West; Roeqiya Fris

A woman on a tree swing looking at brightly coloured sailboats meandering through a canal. Women with intricately patterned clothing leaving a mosque. Two clotheslines in a courtyard displaying vibrantly coloured linens. Characterised by colour, culture and femininity, these scenes are just a few of many bouncing around in the eccentric imagination of Dutch-Egyptian artist Roeqiya Fris.

Based in Rotterdam, Fris is the product of a marriage between an Egyptian mother and a Dutch father. While her early years were spent largely in the Netherlands, childhood trips to Egypt and Andalusia and subsequent travels to Morocco later in life cultivated in her a love for Arabic landscapes and culture.

A graduate of Willem de Kooning Academy of Visual Arts in 2005, Fris worked at a fine arts teacher at a local school before starting and running her own creative workshop company, Fris Projecten, for six years. The artist has focused on creating new work for the past two years, running an Etsy shop and social media accounts that advertise prints and original works. Married to her childhood sweetheart, Fris is also the primary caregiver to their special needs son.

When contemplating her large portfolio, themes related to femininity, Arab culture, travel and nature come to the forefront. Women, as individuals or in groups, are depicted in the large majority of her paintings. Fris attributes this to growing up with three sisters, and has said in interviews that the women she paints are very much inspired by them. Other strong female figures she has been inspired by include American businesswoman and fashion icon Iris Apfel, renowned Mexican artist Frida Khalo and Mexican novelist, screenwriter and politician Laura Esquivel.

Arabic culture is a strong theme in her work, as exemplified in depictions of mosques, camels, and desert landscapes. Making frequent trips to the seaside town of Marrakesh in her adult years, many of her scenes are distinctly Moroccan, depicting vibrantly coloured linens, courtyard scenes, and women with market baskets. Fris is also known to love Arabic cuisine, especially koushari and tajine.

Other favorite subjects include nature and animals, and the use of bright, eye-catching colours and patterns. Fris uses a mix of eoline, watercolour, markers, pencils and gauche on paper to achieve colour schemes and patterns that appear to jump off the page. Many of her works feature flowers, either in nature or as patterns on clothing, along with birds, camels and horses.

Overall, the works of Roeqiya Fris are a delight to not only the eyes, but the other senses as well. Her use of bold colours, playful subjects and Arabic scenery transport one to the beautiful and animated landscapes of the North African region.

By Kate Dannies