The Época Gallery places its trust on contemporary art and today opens the exhibit Paths Gathered by Christina Oiticica. The mystical approach characterizes the Rio artist’s trajectory. The signs translate the beauty of the feminine divinity in its multiple faces: sexuality, fecundity, maternity and life.

Most of the works have been presented in Paris, Brussels, Berlin and Rio de Janeiro. In all, there are 27 pieces that include paintings in mixed techniques, lithographs, sculptures and installations. The fact that Christina Oiticica is the wife of the famous writer Paulo Coelho also calls attention to her production. But the artist has a significant trajectory in Brazil and abroad, is a graduate of Rio de Janeiro’s National School of Fine Arts, and has attended many courses in Europe.

She had the idea of producing the series that is presented in Goiânia as of today when she saw the image of a mouth printed on a telephone card sold in Germany. “I’m a passionate collector of cards. I did many paintings representing mouths. Then they became hearts and then again flowers. I’m always working. I make a little mold and then enlarge it. When I get home I work like someone desperate”, she says.

Among the three installations, one is being shown for the first time. Composed of panels, the work joins together small objects made with refrigerator magnets. The theme includes feminine symbols such as pearls and fans.

After 23 years of marriage, Christina Oiticica thinks that the affinity between her language and Paulo Coelho’s is not intentional. Besides the similarity of themes, they develop partnerships. The artist has illustrated several of the author’s books. This list includes the water-colors for A Story for Fathers, Sons and Grandsons, published in 2001, some covers of The Alchemist and The Diary of a Magus, in addition to pencil illustrations for The Valkyries.

Christina plans to develop a project in Goiânia. “It’s a proposal linked to nature, called The Four Seasons. I bury a painting and let nature interfere. I have left a canvas soaking in a river in France since the fall of last year. The result will be presented in video and exhibits”, reveals Christina, who wants to do the same here. As for the concept that involves the project, the artist explains that this is related to her devotion to Our Lady, “my religious side, the great Mother”.

THEMES IN COMMON

It is inevitable to draw a parallel between Christina Oiticica’s career and that of her husband, writer Paulo Coelho, author of the best-sellers The Diary of a Magus, The Alchemist, and Brida, among others. The works that Christina exhibits in the Spanish Museum in Rio de Janeiro, for example, were inspired by the visual impression of her pilgrimage along the Santiago de Compostela Road in 1990, the scenario of The Diary of a Magus.

On setting the ambience of the room in which her works were on exhibit, Christina tried to let “the visitor be able not only to observe the theme of the paintings but also experience a symbolic journey on the holy way”.

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