Aunia Kahn

Born in Detroit, Michigan in 1977, Aunia Kahn is a multidisciplinary curator,
gallerist, and visual artist working primarily in gouache, acrylic, oil pastel, and
colored pencil. She creates vibrant compositions that blend personal
narrative with diverse cultural influences.

Her art began as survival, a therapeutic response to a difficult upbringing
and ongoing health challenges that evolved into a dedicated studio practice
and career. This foundational relationship between art-making and personal
transformation continues to inform her work today.

She draws inspiration from her French Canadian heritage, German and Polish
folk art, iconography, Pre-Raphaelite and surreal artists, and the natural
world. Her work features symbolic storytelling through layered imagery, rich
color palettes, and architectural forms, balancing the mystical with the
domestic to create narrative depth around themes of sanctuary and
transformation.

Her artwork has been exhibited in over 300 exhibitions across 10 countries,
including San Diego Art Institute, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, iMOCA,
St. Louis Art Museum, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Mitchell Museum,
and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.

She has curated numerous national and international exhibitions and book
projects and has been featured in publications like Yahoo, Prevention
Magazine, and Authority Magazine. She has also lectured at colleges and
universities at places like Washington University School of Medicine and at
other institutions like Scott Air Force Base and New Jersey Visual Arts.

She is also the co-owner of Poetic Tiger Gallery and Hyperlux Living &
Magazine, and the host of the Curator’s Muse Podcast.


Artist Statement

My art springs from a deep longing to connect with a world where my presence
has been limited. Creativity became my lifeline during two decades of battling an
undiagnosed illness. Now, my work reflects a narrative of personal evolution and
gratitude for being alive. Rooted in symbolism, through vibrant colors and living
beings, it embodies a journey of rebirth and self-discovery.


https://auniakahn.com/