Born on May 17, 1964, in Paris, France, Katia Santibañez initially pursued studies in microbiology and biochemistry before pivoting to fine art. From 1985 to 1990, she trained at the prestigious École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. After graduation, she relocated to New York City in 1990, where she currently lives and works, also maintaining a studio in Otis, Massachusetts in the Berkshires.
Katia Santibañez is an artist, whose cerebral and organic abstract works arise from her unusual combination of scientific training and fine art education. Her methodical yet poetic use of grids transforms natural forms into wonderous, structured abstractions. Through exhibitions, residencies, and esteemed grant support, Santibañez continues to forge a compelling and layered visual language that bridges the realms of nature, geometry, and the human experience.
Her work is characterized by the careful use of grid structures, which she employs as a foundational system to examine and express the intricacies of organic forms. Precise and intentional in placement-each unit within the grid radiates its own expressive energy, resulting in compositions that marry structural order with hypnotic visual rhythm.
Critics describe her oeuvre as melding grids, stripes, and grass-like tendrils, generating kaleidoscopic abstraction that feels alive, sensual, and conceptually deep. Her paintings evoke textures such as fur or foliage through rectilinear compartments, revealing a poetic interplay between natural phenomena and geometrical rigor.
Santibañez draws inspiration from both nature and architecture, exploring themes of order versus chaos, micro versus macro, and the balance of structure and spontaneity. She speaks to the interplay of power, balance, and control, suggesting these tensions are inherent in both human and natural forms. Her artistic vision blends the tangible and abstract, inviting viewers into realms that foster curiosity and contemplation:
"I live in two different but complementary worlds: the city and the countryside… I use the grid to organize the worlds I am creating."
Santibañez has exhibited widely across the United States since the late 1990s. Her work has entered both public and private collections, including the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Morgan Library and Museum, Bibliothèque Nationale de Paris, Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center, International Print Center, and the Brooklyn Museum.
recognizing her significant contributions to contemporary abstract art. Her paintings have garnered deep praise for their formal innovation and emotional resonance. Art critics describe them as "mesmerizing," "sensual," and rich in both scientific precision and expressive freedom. Her alignment with a "generation of pattern‑obsessed New York artists" highlights her significance in contemporary abstraction.