Sheeba Khan

Dubai based artist Sheeba Khan is much more than just another beautiful artist. Her story is out of a fairy tale. Let me give you a taste of it: "My father was a close friend of the Nawab Of Bhopal (the ruler of Bhopal). In the late 50s, His Majesty, Nawab Hamidullah Khan, convinced my father Abdul Saeed Khan to buy 500 acres of land in the forests. The Nawab of Bhopal used to spend his weekend there, hunting for game. When my father moved to 'Daatkho' (my village), it was uninhabited and 20 kms deep in the jungles. You had to cross seven wild rivers to get there. He was a brave, adventurous man and decided to create his own world there. He lost his first wife and many decades later, married my mom and took her back to Daatkho. We had a huge log house in the middle of the darkest, deepest jungle. By now, a large group of tribals had settled down in our village and worked for my dad. I was born in the jungle. And raised there for the first 10 years of my life. I was literally a princess. And my father the king. People from distant villages trudged down the mountain by the hundreds, carrying burning torches, to celebrate my birthday. I would proudly sit on a cane highchair, proud like a princess while the tribals would dance all night long around a large bonfire. I went fishing and hunting with my dad every day, often coming face to face with a tiger or a leopard. He would tell me about the time he was mauled by a tiger and left for dead. I felt so proud of my dad when he showed me the scars. Despite being away from civilization, my mom home-schooled us and when I turned 11, much to my dismay, we were whisked away to Bhopal. I could relate to Tarzan's plight when he had to move to London for Jane. I felt like a fish out of water. I found the city slickers devious, conceited and full of hidden agendas and missed the simplicity of my jungle. I missed the animals and them soothing sounds, the gurgle of the river that put me to sleep like a lilting lullaby…”

A fairy tale indeed!!! Her story begins fascinating, and she grows to becomes a wife and mother. A job she wanted and adored but the fairytale resided within her and was hidden deep for years until it burst out of her in the form of fine art. Sheeba says, “when I look back, it was the most incredible and unforgettable part of my life, but my life is yet again becoming incredible with my artistic journey!” I invite you to see the colorful movement that is translated by Sheeba Khan onto canvas.

Her eclectic mix of vivid abstracts captures the vibrance of her colorful childhood. Each of her deeply layered pieces embodies a myriad story, letting the beholder find a new interpretation with every fresh look. With audacious colors and passionate storytelling, she has garnered rave reviews from the art community across the world. A collection of her work is currently being exhibited in Montclair, New Jersey, London, Milan and Dubai at prestigious galleries.

“This is how I paint. There is no pre-conceived vision. Maybe, on occasion, I may have a burning issue that I would like to address. But more often than not, I start blank. I stand in front of a pure, white canvas and it mirrors my state of mind. I let my subconscious take control and I let rip. Every daub of color, every layer finds a life of its own. The intricate network of lines and specks, and subliminal shapes leave the complex nooks and crannies of my mind and happily pick their spot on the canvas. What seems like a finished piece to those around me, goes through many rebirths before its final life. And once the trance is broken, I push my head back and look at what is born. ‘Hello beautiful. I had been waiting for you.’ I gush, in my baby voice. Time to move on... When my patrons acquire my art, they take over my dream and make it theirs. What gives me vicarious pleasure is the idea of having my dream become the centerpiece of a plush, well-appointed room, where a new person sees it, feels and interprets it every day. I can hear the many thoughts that cross their minds, a myriad of interpretations that they draw.

A good piece of art can nourish the soul of a room and enhance the mood of the inhabitant.

My art is vivid, textured, vibrant and every piece tells deep, layered stories. It comes from my experiences – both happy and sad. Bright and dark.”

List of Achievements:

• Winner, International Prize Caravaggio Great Master of Art, Milan Italy. (December 2018).
• Winner, Premio Internazionale D’arte Fondazione Costanza, Madrid, Spain (January 2019),
• Winner, International Prize Boticelli, Borghese Palace, Florence, Italy. (February 2019)
• Featured in Artisti19, a prestigious European book that celebrates 50 great contemporary artists from around the world, available on amazon.com, and leading bookstores across Europe. This book has been distributed to the top galleries, curators and art critics across the world.
• Her art is part of the Haeguemgang Museum’s permanent collection.

List of past exhibitions:

• World Art Dubai 2017
• Solo exhibition at West Elm, Yas Mall Abu Dhabi (2017)
• Solo Exhibition at West Elm Dubai Mall (2017)
• Group show Mont Clair Art Walk, Montclair, New Jersey, U.S. A. (2018)
• Solo exhibition at Fairmont Dubai (2018)
• Global Exhibition ‘Love & Inspiration, South Korea (2018)
• Group show “Show your best” at Cartoon Gallery (2018)
• Group Exhibition Windsor Contemporary Art Fair, London (November 10-12, 2018)
• Group Exhibition, 165 Below Gallery, Abu Dhabi, November 10 - December 20, 2018)
• Group Exhibition, Double Tree Hilton, Downtown Dubai, (November 18, 2018, to January 18, 2019)
• Three artist exhibition “Connection”, January 16th to February 5th,􀀃 Studio Seven Gallery, Business Bay, Dubai
• Grand exhibition of the 50 great artists from the Artisti19 Book, Milan.
• Ongoing exhibition in Julian Espinal Art Project Gallery, Mont Clair, New Jersey.
• On-going exhibition at Monda Art Gallery, Sofitel the Palm.
• Group show in NYAFAIR, NYC, September 2019