Cristiane Mohallem's artistic production encompasses painting, embroidery, and drawing. Her work consists of depicting images that spark her interest, without starting from a defined concept or a pre-established intention.
Her images are built from the observation of nature, domestic interiors, people, and parallel perceptions — a whirling dervish, a poem, a dream, a question about the infinite.
Although her pieces are created side by side in the studio, the tapestries differ from the themes and rhythms of the paintings. In embroidery, nature prevails; in painting, the interiors of houses and human figures predominate. This distinction, however, emerges spontaneously. In both practices, there is a strong interest in the unfolding of color in the relationship between light and shadow as a constructive force of the image
Born in São Paulo in 1974, Cristiane Mohallem graduated in Psychology from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP) and worked for over a decade as a psychologist. She was the creator and coordinator of the project Oficina das Artes, developed at the renowned Hospital do Rim e Hipertensão (UNIFESP/SP). This project led her to pursue a master’s degree in Art and Art Therapy at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. There, she discovered the world of visual arts and became particularly interested in painting studios. In 2014, she left her work as a psychotherapist to dedicate herself entirely to her artistic practice.
A produção artística de Cristiane Mohallem inclui pintura, bordado e desenho. Seu trabalho consiste em retratar imagens que despertam seu interesse, sem partir de algo definido ou de uma intenção pré-estabelecida.
Suas imagens são construídas a partir da observação da natureza, dos interiores das casas, das pessoas e de percepções paralelas — um dervixe girando, um poema, um sonho, uma pergunta sobre o infinito.
Embora suas peças sejam criadas lado a lado no ateliê, as tapeçarias diferem dos temas e ritmos das pinturas. No bordado, prevalece a natureza; na pintura, predominam os interiores das casas e as figuras humanas. Essa diferença, contudo, ocorre de forma espontânea. Em ambos os procedimentos, nota-se um grande interesse pelo desdobramento da cor, na relação entre luz e sombra, como potência construtiva da imagem.
Nascida em São Paulo, em 1974, Cristiane Mohallem graduou-se em Psicologia pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) e atuou por mais de uma década como psicóloga. Criou e coordenou o projeto Oficina das Artes, desenvolvido no renomado Hospital do Rim e Hipertensão (UNIFESP/SP). Esse projeto a levou ao mestrado em Artes e Arteterapia na School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Nessa instituição, descobriu o mundo das artes visuais, interessando-se principalmente pelos ateliês de pintura. Em 2014, deixou de atuar como psicoterapeuta para se dedicar exclusivamente ao trabalho no ateliê.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025
- "Onde em Sonho Ela Mora", ACASA - Museu do Objeto Brasileiro, São Paulo, SP
2023
- "O Mundo Além das Palavras" (The World Beyond Words), Galeria Babel, Sao Paulo, SP
2021
- "Árvore Adentro" (Tree Within), ACASA - Museu do Objeto Brasileiro, São Paulo, SP
2018
- “O Lugar das Coisas” (The Place of Things), Gallery Art Hall – Florence Antônio, São Paulo, SP
2017
- “São Paulo por um Fio”, Centro Cultural São Paulo (Sao Paulo Cultural Center) – Exhibition Program
- “Música em seus Dedos” (Music in her Fingers), A Casa - Museu do Objeto Brasileiro (Museum of the Brazilian Object), Sao Paulo
2016
- “Canção da Estrada” (Song of the Road), DConcept Escritório de Arte, Sao Paulo
2015
- “A Gravitação do Amor Misterioso pelas Coisas que nos Ignoram” (Gravitation of the Mysterious Love of Things Unaware of Us), Qualcasa, Hermes Artes Visuais, São Paulo
- “Chuva de Ouro” (Gold Rain), Museu de Arte de Blumenau, SC
2014
- “Aktion”(experimental project), 2025 Kunst und Kulture e.V, Hamburg, Germany
2013
- “Entre Mãos: Pinturas” (Between Hands: Paintings), Contraponto, Sao Paulo
2012
- “Céus são Céus” (Skys are Heavens), Dconcept Escritório de Arte, São Paulo
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024
- Open Studio, Iceland Textile Center, Blönduós, Iceland.
2023
- Compartiarte, (beneficent exhibition), Centro Brasileiro Britânico, Sao Paulo, SP
2022
- "17th International Triennial of Tapestry", Central Museum of Textiles of Lodz, Poland
- "Um Olhar sobre o Acervo: Rendas e Bordados", A CASA - Museu do Objeto Brasileiro, Sao Paulo, SP
2021
- "34th annual Materials: Hard + Soft International Contemporary Craft Exhibition", Greater Denton Arts Council, Denton, Texas, USA
2020
- "Coastlines", Sanger Gallery - The Studios of Key West, FL, USA
- "100 Works on Paper Benefit", Kentler International Drawing Center, Brooklin, NY
2019
- "IV Bienal do Sertão" (IV Biennial of Sertão), Museu do Piauí, Teresina, PI, 01-31 Oct
- “Compartiarte” (beneficent exhibition), Centro Brasileiro Britânico, Sao Paulo
2018
- “Hic et Nunc”, Picta Escritorio de Arte de Gabriela M. Carneiro de Loyola, Joenville, SC
- “Refluxo”, curated by Nacy Betts, Vão Espaço Independente de Arte, Sao Paulo
- "1o. Salão de Arte Visuais da Galeria Rabieh", Sao Paulo
2017
- “Árvores, Galhos e Folhas”, Galpões Santo Antônio, Fazenda Santo Antônio, Amparo, SP
- “No Notice Gave She, but a Change”, (dialogue between a Brazilian, a Japanese and a German artist), Bridget Stern Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
- “Seeing It Again: Nature Reconsidered”, Holter Museum of Art, Helena, Montana, USA
2016
- “Yelling At the Sky”, Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation Curatorial Fellowship Exhibition, curated by La Keisha Leek, Chicago
- “Seeing It Again: Nature Reconsidered”, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, CO, USA
- "Open Studio", Ragdale Foundation, Lake Forest - Chicago,USA
2015
- "Programa Exposições 2015", MARP – Museu de Arte de Ribeirão Preto Pedro Manuel-Gismondi – SP
- “Exhibition: Gallery’s Collection”, DConcept Escritório de Arte, Sao Paulo
- "Open Studio", The Studios of Key West, USA
- “Contraprova, Vol. 1”, Paço das Artes, São Paulo
- “É Sempre Bom Estar Acompanhado”, W espaço Arte (org. grupo Latitude 22), Ribeirão Preto – SP
2014
- "13 Salão Nacional de Arte Jataí" (13o Art Salon of Jataí), GO
- “Tre Cose” (Three Things), 33 Officina Creativa, Toffia, Italy
- “Open Studio”, Palazzo del Gatto, Casaprota, Italy
2012
- “Quase a Última Foto” (Almost the Last Picture), Grupo Aluga-se, Casa Cultural Mario Quintana, Porto Alegre
- "39 Salão de Arte Contemporânea de Santo André"– SP, (39th Contemporary Art Sallon of Santo André)
RESIDENCIES
2024 - Iceland Textile Center, Blönduós, Iceland.
2019 – Sacatar Institute, Bahia, Brazil
2019 – Ragdale Foundation, Arts and Nature Week, Chicago, USA
2016 – Ragdale Foundation, Chicago, USA
2015 – The Studios of Key West, USA
2014 – 33 Officina Creativa, Toffia; and, Palazzo del Gatto, SabinArti Associazione Culturale,, artist residency, Casaprota, Itália
AWARDS
2017 – Selected by Centro Cultural São Paulo (Sao Paulo Cultural Center) as a recipient of its Solo Exhibition 2017 prize – Programa Exposições.
2012 – Travel grant, Programa de Difusão Cultural, Ministério da Cultura, Brazil
2008 – Community Service Award, Albert Schweitzer Fellowship – Fellow for Life
2007 – Merit scholarship, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
PUBLICATIONS (articles, reviews, catalog)
2023 - MASSARA, Kikan (author), "The Twelve Steps. Symbols, Myths and Archetypes of Recovery". Publisher: TASCHEN
2023 - SCOLFORO, Carol, "Nunca é tarde: psicóloga troca consultório por ateliê e borda tela de 4 m". Nossa UOL. nunca-e-tarde-psicologa-troca-consultorio-por-atelie-e-borda-tela-de-4-m.htm
2022 - 17th International Triennial of Tapestry's Catalog. Central Museum of Textiles in Lodz. Poland
2019 – Textiel Plus Magazine, Netherlands
2017 – “Flamboyant”, Scoundrel Time (journal of literature), USA, +https://scoundreltime.com/flamboyan/
2013 - MOLINA, Camila, “O Impacto das Mãos”, O Estado de Sao Paulo, 25.02.2013
EDUCATION
2008 – The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, USA - Master of Art in Art Therapy
2000 – Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo – Psychology
Licensed Clinical Professional Psychology, February, 2001
1996/97 – Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan,Italy
2003-2005 – Drawing studio at Feres Khoury’s atelier, São Paulo
OTHERS ACTIVITIES
2020 - "Pequizeiro, The Cosmic Tree" (making a collective needlework), NGO Turma que Faz e Casa de Cultura São Jorge, Alto Paraíso, GO
2019 - "Color and Stiches", SESC Paulista, Sao Paulo, August 6 to 9th (workshop)
2019 - "Arts and Nature Week" (textile workshop for children), Ragdale Foundation, Chicago, USA
2012 and 2009 - SESC Santo Amaro e Ipiranga, São Paulo – SP (drawing, painting and collage workshops)
2007 - Namaste Charter School, Chicago, USA (art therapy)
2007 - Diamond Headache Clinic, Chicago, USA (art therapy)
2004-2006 - Instituto da Criança e do Adolescente com Doenças Renais, ICRIM (Child and Teenager’s Renal Diseases Organization), a non profit organization, São Paulo Brazil (created and coordinated the Play, Art and Psychotherapy Program)
2001-2006 - Hospital do Rim e Hipertensão – HRH, Fundação Oswaldo Ramos, UNIFESP/EPM - Federal University of Sao Paulo/ Medical School. São Paulo, Brazil (created and coordinated the Play, Art and Psychotherapy Program)
Presented in Conference
2012 – 2nd International Conference on Jung and Visual Arts – Art And Psyche in the City. Lecture: “Graffiti and Photography in and of the City of São Paulo: Reflections on the City’s Character and the City as a Place where Residents Invent their Lives Daily”, NYU, New York, July 19-22
2008 – 1st International Conference on Jung and Visual Arts – Art and Psyche: Reflection on Image. Lecture: “Art and play therapy in the treatment of organic disease: Researching on a renal transplant unit”, San Francisco, USA, May 1 – 4
2006 – 15th Annual Society for the Arts in Healthcare Conference. Lecture: “The art of toy making”, Chicago, USA, April 26 – 29