Sanam Khatibi

Drawing from diverse art historical sources including the Bayeux Tapestry, pre-Columbian art, and the compositions of Hieronymus Bosch and Frida Kahlo, Sanam Khatibi creates symbolically loaded paintings of paradise that explore power, desire, and human nature. She appeals to primal instinct and artistic tradition, expressing emotional ambiguity and contradiction. Amid fantastical, verdant landscapes populated by exotic creatures, Khatibi sets human figures who engage in sex, frivolity, hunting, beastiality, and violence. Devoid of cultural signifiers, these figures become universal. Altogether, Khatibi’s canvases raise questions about the relationship between impulse and control. The artist has exhibited widely in Belgium and has featured in shows in New York, Los Angeles, Istanbul, Mexico City, and London, among other cities. Khatibi’s practice also includes painted still lifes, embroideries, tapestries, and sculptures.