Khosro Adibi, born in Iran and based in the Netherlands since 1989, is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice encompasses visual art, performance, dance, teaching, and direction. Before beginning his residency at Highgreen, Khosro had travelled widely, creating art in response to the diverse landscapes in which he found himself. His work was deeply rooted in place, often emerging directly from the materials and rhythms of the environment.
During his time at Highgreen, Khosro created a remarkable body of work using ephemeral natural materials such as leaves, snow, fleece, and pine cones. These fragile elements were transformed into subtle yet powerful installations that spoke of transience, repetition, and the passage of time. Alongside these temporary works, he began carving in stone — both within his studio and directly into the stony outcrops scattered across the surrounding landscape.
As Khosro explained:
“Repetition was the core of most of my work. Everyday materials or actions, over time, transformed themselves into concrete form. It felt as though all existence was, in one way or another, related to repetition and cycles. The act of doing — the urge and insistence to understand the potential and limitations of material — led to my creations.”
His end of residency exhibition presented an overview of this diverse practice, featuring both permanent and temporary works, with the latter documented through film. The show revealed the quiet strength and contemplative sensitivity that defined Khosro’s approach, where the process of making was as vital as the resulting form.
Khosro’s engagement with the local and regional community was integral to his residency. He held two Open Studio events, offering visitors the opportunity to meet him, view his work in progress, and discuss his creative process. In November, he led a guided tour of several installations around Highgreen, including his much-admired Leaves piece, followed by a participatory ‘interactive creation’ workshop.
He also collaborated with students and staff at Thornhill Park School in Sunderland, developing outdoor sculptural works that encouraged sensory interaction and creative play. At the CRISIS Skylight Centre in Newcastle, Khosro led a series of four workshops exploring movement, space, and costume — areas where his experience as a dancer and director enriched his visual practice. The final session, held at Highgreen, culminated in a short film that captured the spirit of collaboration and exploration central to his work.
Khosro’s time at Highgreen left a lasting impression — his art remained both grounded in material and open to the fleeting beauty of natural change, bridging sculpture, movement, and community in a poetic and enduring way.
