Najat Makki is an Emirati artist who focused on rhythmic colors and forms, employing a symbolic expressive style that strongly evoked a sense of time and place early in her career. Over time, her work evolved towards harmonious abstract compositions interrelating elements. Notable experiments include her phosphorescent color works from 1989 exhibited at Dubai’s Al Wasl Club, while the female form had a powerful presence in her oeuvre. A 1982 graduate of Cairo’s College of Fine Arts where she obtained a Ph.D. in 2001, Makki participated in local, Arab, and international exhibitions. She did a 4-month residency in Paris in 2012, exploring poetry-art interdisciplinary collaboration. Representing the UAE globally through shows and workshops across China, France, USA, Korea, Syria, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Sweden, Sudan, Belgium, Germany, Cyprus, Qatar, Turkey and others, Makki supervised artistic programs, was honored by the Arab League, and won awards including the 2013 Arab Woman in Arts Prize and the 2023 Order of Academic Palms from France.