Palestinian artist Jeffar Khaldi’s striking, dream-like paintings are reminiscent of his personal experiences and cultural background.

Born in Lebanon in 1964, Khaldi experienced the chaos of the Lebanese Civil War and emigrated to the United States as a teen to avoid being forced into one of the militias. Khaldi’s colossal, vivid paintings combine his observations of contemporary existence into a pseudo-fantasy world, at times telling tales of isolation, collective nostalgia and history.

Fusing political satire and fantasy, Khaldi subversively highlights the obscurities of mainstream media, cliché and the sound bites that shape dominant views of the past and present. The paintings are often informed in their duality by his experience with Western and Eastern cultures, pulling viewers in different directions as Khaldi explores contradictory aspects of reality and historical disparities. Part of his process involves intensive research around mediated events, with a particular interest in his homeland of Palestine. Khaldi uses his work to assert the absurdities of occupation and injustice.

Showcased in major private and institutional collections, including the JP Morgan Chase Collection and Mathaf Museum of Arab Art, Khaldi’s work has also been featured in the Sharjah Biennial, Saatchi Gallery in London and the Museo de Arte in Mexico.