Zainab Alshibani b. 2000
Zainab AlShibani (b. 2000) is a lettering artist and graphic designer based in Doha,
Qatar. Her multidisciplinary practice is embedded in creating dream-like ideations of
life, time, gender, and language. A graduate of VCUarts Qatar, she holds a BFA in
graphic design with magna cum laude honours in 2021. During her studies, she was
awarded the prestigious AEB Excellence Award. Following her graduation, Zainab
expanded her artistic horizons through artist residencies, including the International
Studio & Curatorial Programme (ISCP) in New York in 2022, and the 9-month Artist in
Residence (AIR) programme at the Fire Station in Doha from 2023 to 2024.
Zainab’s interest in mediaeval manuscripts, visual representations of the Arabic
script, and their mystical qualities, led her to experiment in creating black and white
imagery during her undergraduate studies. Her work examines the polarity of these
neutral colours, using these contrasts to explore the symbolic relationship between
shapes and motifs. This approach has enabled her to delve further into themes of
spirituality and mysticism, particularly as they pertain to questions of representation.
In her practice Zainab navigates the relationship between mind and body, particularly
scrutinising the possibilities of representing the human body through letters. Central
to her practice is her interrogation of the representation of women, intertwining this
with her exploration of mysticism and the metaphysical aspects of human existence.
At the intersection of visual arts and design, Zainab has expanded her practice by
introducing new media, including sculpture and painting, to further her inquiry into
representation. Her exploration of mobile artworks culminates in Cyclical Remanence
(2024) which was first presented in Wusum Gallery’s inaugural exhibition Revolving
Rooms in Doha in January 2024. Her installation Bodiless Living in a Bodyful World,
exhibited in AIR 8: A House Overlooking the World, integrates her research into Gulf
mythology and dramaturgy, deepening her engagement with performativity and
representation.
Zainab has exhibited her work both locally and internationally, including the Fire
Station (Doha), Wusum Gallery (Doha), International Studio & Curatorial Programme
(NYC), and Galerie Joseph Le Palais (Paris), among others. In 2023, she co-founded El
Screen Studio, a screen-printing lab based in Doha that fosters collaboration among
local artists and designers.
