OSAMA KHATLAN

Osama Khatlan, born in Iraq in 1954, is a multidisciplinary artist, author, and illustrator. His artistic journey began under the guidance of his father—a teacher and school principal who later became a press illustrator. Since 1977, Khatlan has held numerous exhibitions, with his first cartoon published in children’s newspapers in 1976. His career spans over four decades, including international exhibitions such as those in Erbil, Kurdistan (2013), and Florence, Italy (1982). In 2022, he was awarded second prize at the Romania International Cartoon Competition and published his first children’s book, The Magic Mirror, through Amazon. He holds a degree in advertising, photography, and color representation from the Florence State Art Institute. Khatlan currently lives and works in New York.

In his recent visual project that combines poetry and painting, Khatlan explores the profound relationship between language and imagery. His artistic process weaves together visual layers with poetic concepts, allowing the work to emerge organically through the interaction of memory and place. Text becomes more than a written element—it is embedded into the painting, forming a reflective space that speaks to the complexity of human experience.

By merging words and images, Khatlan creates a dialogue between poetry and visual art, deepening the contemplative nature of his work. This project reflects his ongoing inquiry into the self and the shared dimensions of memory, language, and artistic expression, offering a multidimensional approach to understanding human identity and emotion.