Christiane Margraitner, 3 February 1956, nationality : Swiss
Education in Switzerland :
1975 Matura (Type B : Latin, English in Biel/Bienne
1977 Primary school teaching certificate from the Canton of Bern
1980 Diploma from the Werkseminar Kunstgewerbeschule / School of Fine Arts in Zurich
1982–84 Acting training at the Théâtre Populaire Romand in La Chaux-de-Fonds
Born in 1956 in Biel, Christiane Margraitner is an actress, drama teacher and director who lives in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, since 1988.
Alongside her career as an actress, she taught art at a secondary school for four years, from 2004 to 2008, and has continued to paint ever since her teenage years.
Between the ages of 16 and 20, she attended expressive painting workshops in the style of Arno Stern, led by Luc Monnier.
For many years, she was involved in training teachers in the fields of visual arts and theatre.
Between 1982 and 2026, she appeared in around ninety productions, directed numerous professional and amateur productions, and works regularly as a speakerin.
In 2007, during a stay in Cairo on the island of Qursayah, she created a series of collages using items collected during her walks.
In 2026, she was awarded a six-month artist residency, from early February to late July, in Cairo, and a grant, provided by the City of La Chaux-de-Fonds and the Swiss Conference of Cities for Culture (CVC/SKK).
She produced around a hundred collages on 15cm x 15cm paper using items found on the ground. A sort of logbook.
Her concept: to use items of little value—mostly rubbish—to give them a new lease of life, enhancing them in small, spontaneous compositions.
At the same time, she creates larger-format abstract compositions on canvas using earth, sand and objects found in Egypt.
Her graduation project at the Kunstgewerbeschule in Zurich involved building a portable gas-fired ceramic kiln!! Her love for working with clay was already very evident; she devoted a great deal of time to modelling.
Exhibitions
2009 ‘Cairotiques’ Impressions Group exhibition following a trip to Cairo . With Roman Brändli (photography), Jean-Luc Marchina (video), Thomas Steiger (soundtrack) and Christiane Margraitner (painting) at the ABC Cultural Centre in La Chaux-de-Fonds
2015 “Racines” Exhibition with her sister, Isabelle Hofer- Margraitner at «Joli mois de mai» in Biel
2019 Group exhibition in Sarah Favre-Bulle’s ceramics studio . With Sarah Favre-Bulle (ceramics), Marisa Léa (textiles), Christiane Margraitner (painting) in Neuchâtel
2020 and 2021 Bon Pied Bon Art Open Day in the studio of and with Nicole Grédy in La Chaux-de-Fonds
2022 Les Thés du Marché at Anouk Santschi’s from 15 February to 15 September in La Chaux-de-Fonds
2023 Alterrapy at Célestin Jobin’ from 30 March to 17 August in La Chaux-de-Fonds
2024 Galerie di Maillart 9 February to 23 March in Le Landeron
2024 / 25 Les Thés du Marché at Anouk Santschi’s from 3 October 2024 to 30 March 2025 in La Chaux-de-Fonds