Why so serious? Painting

Cristine Balarine is an emerging Brazilian artist based in Sicily, Italy. With a Master’s degree in Architecture from the Bartlett, University College London, and a background in Florentine Renaissance art history, Cristine’s art practice seeks to rebel from the rigour and ultra-rationalization of her architectural background in her large-scale abstract compositions. Cristine's origins in architecture include a wide-ranging experience in several large scale cultural projects, most recently as a site associate architect at the Zayed National Museum of the UAE by Lord Norman Foster. Cristine’s works have been exhibited in international galleries and museums, including a charity auction and group exhibition at Sotheby’s, the London Biennale in the UK, Florence Biennale in Italy, World Art Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Saatchi Art's The Other Art Fair in London and the Lighthouse Museum at the Aeolian Islands, Sicily in collaboration with the Museum of Archaeology from Lipari. Cristine's works can be found in private collections in the UAE, Qatar, Canada, UK, Brazil, Italy, Germany, France, Holland, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Belgium. The artist recently established an open studio and gallery in the picturesque Aeolian Islands in Sicily where she exhibits her works as well as solo and collective works by local and international artists in a flexible space dedicated to the freedom of expression, creativity and art.