Works
Drawings, portraits, mural work and ballpoint pen compositions.
Creative process
Cíntia Cris at work on A Cara do Brasil.
Marcas da Ancestralidade
A black-and-white profile portrait in which facial markings, contrast and expression give the figure a strong sense of presence. The work reflects Cíntia Cris’s recurring interest in Indigenous people, ancestry and cultural memory, using the human face as a way to evoke reflection on origins, identity and the histories carried across generations.
Meu Coração
An anatomical study of the human heart built through layers of red, pink and violet, with close attention to volume, vessels and internal structures.
For Cíntia Cris, however, the work began from something more personal. When sharing it, she wrote: “My heart. It kept insisting, insisting, until one day I let it take over — and I never regained control.” The drawing turns an anatomical study into something shaped equally by impulse, emotion and surrender to the artistic process.
Leão de olhos coloridos
Realistic portrait of a lion with one blue eye and one amber eye. The drawing emphasises the gaze, the texture of the coat and the contrast between the tones.
Cacique Raoni Metuktire
A portrait of Cacique Raoni Metuktire, a Mẽbêngôkre (Kayapó) leader, drawn entirely in ballpoint pen. The composition brings together his portrait, the Brazilian flag and elements of Brazilian fauna, connecting his presence with themes of territory, nature and Indigenous life.
When sharing the work, Cíntia Cris described it as an expression of indignation and pain, affirming her choice not to remain neutral in the face of issues affecting Indigenous peoples.
Ancestralidade em Cores
Cíntia Cris beside Ancestralidade em Cores, a mural composition with a portrait, graphic patterns and colour fields that emphasise identity, expression and ancestry.
Lágrima
A black-and-white portrait centred on a child’s expression and gaze. Light, shadow and texture shape the image, while the tears carry its emotional tension. The work marked Cíntia Cris’s first experience with Procreate, part of her effort to expand her artistic practice and explore new materials and forms of expression.
Olhar em Cores
A study of the gaze in which realism meets an intense exploration of colour. Blues, yellows, reds and violets spread around the eye, creating contrast between detail and chromatic freedom.
Liderança (Leadership)
A profile portrait drawn in ballpoint pen, with red body paint and geometric patterns in blue and black. The sitter’s gaze and presence anchor the composition.
The work is part of a recurring thread in Cíntia Cris’s practice involving portraits of Indigenous people and questions of Indigenous presence in Brazil. When she originally shared the piece, the artist introduced it with the words:
“O BRASIL É TERRITÓRIO INDÍGENA!” — “Brazil is Indigenous territory!”
Based on a photograph credited to @zaremare.
Reflexo
Realistic study of the human eye, attentive to the reflections of the iris, the lashes and the texture of the skin. Overlays of tone create depth and luminosity without losing the precision of the drawing.