Christine Schlegel was born in 1950 in Crossen (Thuringia). In 1956 she moved to Dresden, where she initially trained as a decorator as well as a poster and sign painter. From 1973 to 1978, she studied painting and graphic arts at the Academy of Art in Dresden. After completing her studies, she worked as a freelance artist in Dresden. From the early 1980s onwards, she expanded her practice to include book objects, collage, experimental film and performance. In 1984 she moved to East Berlin; two years later she left for West Berlin and Amsterdam. She received scholarships and funding, including from the Stiftung Kulturfonds and the Berliner Kultursenat. Since 2000, she has lived and worked in Dresden.