BIO

Christina Habibi is an abstract painter born in Tehran, Iran, and based in Athens, Georgia. She's maintained a studio practice for over three decades.

Her work has been featured in the Twin Cities PBS series Minnesota Original, which documented her creative process, and artwork by Habibi was included in the film Dear White People. 

Habibi continues to explore the possibilities of abstraction through an evolving body of work.

Statement

My work begins with physical gesture rather than a plan. I let my body lead while my mind stays present, responding instead of directing.

Words find their way into the paintings as I work. Sometimes they connect with what's happening in the painting; other times they belong to an entirely different conversation. I'm interested in what happens when language and paint occupy the same space without needing to explain each other. Sometimes the text functions simply as visual form; other times it stands in contrast to the image, leaving the relationship between the two open.

Figures, relationships, and encounters gradually emerge, but I never set out to tell a story. I try to leave room for uncertainty so meaning can shift instead of settling into a single interpretation.

The physical act of painting and the qualities of the materials shape the development of each piece.

When a painting succeeds, instinct and awareness work together. Neither takes over. The work stays open, offering something different with each encounter.