Themes of her work relate to humanity's primal instincts and animality, male-female dynamics, balance of power between the sexes, domination and submission, and fear and desire.
Khatibi's paintings often resemble Renaissance imagery, with groups of almost transparent nude female figures against backgrounds of pastel-coloured landscapes.
"[9] A self-taught artist,[6][8] Khatibi is described as "guided by an untamed instinct", and "each work seems to be an invitation to a sexual game, tender or brutal, romantic or savage.
"[8] Khatibi explains, “No matter how much society tries to cover it up, no matter how polite and educated we act, our impulses remain primitive.”[10] The emotional tone of her work is considered benign, despite the underlying themes: "Along with the apparent bestiality and the violence of the depicted scenes, the artist keeps an amused eye on the joyful carnival.
"[14] Khatibi adds that “I suppose they are all me—and they are all bits and pieces of us all.”[14] Her series, "The Murders of the Green River," exhibited in 2019 at the Rodolphe Janssen gallery in Brussels, examined the crimes of the serial killer Gary Ridgway in the Green River area of Washington State.