Sanam Khatibi

Sanam Khatibi’s work explores themes of animality and primal impulses, examining our relationship with power structures and the duality of triumph and failure. Her art frequently delves into issues of excess, loss of control, bestiality, gender dynamics, domination, and submission. She is fascinated by the fine line between fear and desire, highlighting their deep interconnection. Set in exotic, evocative landscapes, her subjects live on instinct, navigating ambiguous relationships with power, violence, sensuality, and one another. Wildlife and animals are central to her practice, often depicted alongside flora and fauna on the same plane. Her diverse body of work spans painting, embroidery, tapestry, and sculpture.

Khatibi has held solo exhibitions at notable venues, including the Groeninge Museum (Bruges), Kunsthal Gent (Ghent), P.P.O.W (New York), BPS22 (Charleroi), rodolphe janssen (Brussels), NICC (Brussels), trampoline (Antwerp), and Island (Brussels). Her group exhibitions include shows at Kunstverein Dresden (Germany), Centraal Museum (Utrecht), the 16th Istanbul Biennial (curated by Nicolas Bourriaud), M HKA (Antwerp), Mendes Wood (Brussels), CRAC Occitanie (Sète), MAC (Marseille), Paul Kasmin Gallery (New York), Christine König Gallery (Vienna), and the Museum of Deinze (Belgium).

Her work is part of prominent public collections, including Centraal Museum (Utrecht), Belfius Art Collection (Belgium), Province du Hainaut (Belgium), and the Art Gallery of Ontario (Toronto).