Interview with Artist Therese Fostock

The opening night of “Hear Me from My Eyes” was held on March 8, 2025, at the Picasso Gallery in Dubai. The event commemorated the diverse works of seven women who have explored different ways to express, reclaim, and assert their identities through art.

Among the seven artists, Swedish artist Therese Fostock reflected on her childhood, capturing traces of the past in her work. Her paintings encapsulated elements of her years growing up in Sweden and six formative years in Saudi Arabia—a period marked by constant movement, change, and a sense of displacement.

Q1. Please introduce yourself

- I grew up in a small town in Sweden three hours west of Stockholm and always dreamt of a life far away. I have been artistically inclined since my teens and studied to become a hair stylist and colorist.

- Today, I am a mother of two teenage boys, married to a Saudi-Swedish husband, and have lived in the Middle East for the past 15 years.

- Since leaving Saudi Arabia and moving to Dubai in 2017 I have become immersed in yoga and painting.

Q2.What led you to move from Saudi Arabia to Dubai?

- I moved to Riyadh from Sweden in 2011 as my husband was growing his business in the region. Although my 6 years in Saudi were an experience of a lifetime, I always felt like a fish out of water. Not speaking the language, and the different culture made it difficult for me to properly express myself, and I felt increasingly isolated in an unfamiliar world. Moving to Dubai allowed me to once again feel like myself.

Q3. Currently, in the UAE and the broader Middle East, numerous cultural exchange events offer artists the opportunity to showcase their work. What message do you wish to convey to Arab audiences and other international viewers through your art?

- My artworks are not just a visual representation of my own journey but an invitation for others to explore their own reflections.

- In my art I seek strength by expressing my vulnerability and hope that my audience and other artists, sense this and can perhaps find courage to do the same.

Q4. What are your future aspirations, challenges, and plans as an artist?

- With my art I am primarily focused on my own personal growth. And although I do not have any grand commercial ambitions, I naturally hope that my art can inspire others.

- I will continue to participate in various exhibitions in the region to make my art more accessible to a broader public.

Q5. What message would you like to share with young people who dream of becoming

artists?

- We are all artists. Don’t be afraid to try different forms of art to discover what you feel comfortable and uncomfortable with, to find the artistic medium which gives you the most inspiration.