Abdul Rahman Katanani is a Palestinian artist whose work poignantly reflects the lived experiences of statelessness, displacement, and resilience. Born in the Sabra refugee camp in Beirut to a family originally from Jaffa, Palestine, Katanani is a third-generation refugee whose artistic practice is inseparable from his personal and political history.
Katanani received a Diploma in Fine Arts from the Lebanese University in 2007, followed by an MFA in 2012, with a focus on Palestinian contemporary art. His practice draws heavily from his environment: barbed wire, zinc sheets, crude oil barrels, and discarded household items from the refugee camp become raw materials for sculptures and installations that convey stories of struggle, endurance, and hope. His works address the complexities of exile, the permanence of impermanence, and the resourcefulness of daily survival.
His art has been exhibited internationally at institutions such as Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, the Royal College of Art in London, and the Abu Dhabi Biennale. Katanani is the recipient of several artist residencies, including La Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris and Vent des Forêts in France. In 2009, he received the Young Artist Prize at the Sursock Museum’s Autumn Salon.
Katanani’s work stands as a vital testament to the enduring spirit of displaced communities and their refusal to be silenced.