Sem Fronteiras/Without Borders

SEM FRONTEIRAS/
WITHOUT BORDERS
An exhibition presenting the very best and innovative of Brazil’s art,
design and craft, offering sustainable alternatives and demonstrating a
commitment to the values of social responsibility.
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
June 2012 - December 2012
South Terminal Gallery
International Greeters Lobby
and 4th floor level Mezzanine
Featuring the innovative work of 23 artists, designers and artisans from Brazil,
through ceramics, basketry, textiles, jewelry, furniture, and fashion,
as well as selective examples of photography, painting and sculpture,
Sem Fronteiras/Without Borders actively challenges conventional notions of
a singular Brazilian aesthetic or identity.
Each of the artists brings his or her own distinctive background, vision and
cultural character to their work, resulting in a rather eclectic integration of
design and craft that is, at once, Brazilian and global.
Highlighted throughout the exhibition is the transformative power of community,
the preservation of skills and traditions through product design and education,
the use of natural materials and locally available resources, the conservation of
the natural landscape and development of sustainable products, and the creative
reuse of industrial waste.
Through innovative partnerships and collaborations, many of the artists provide
employment for whole families and communities, thereby vastly improving the
standard of living for many.
Communities are not only assisted economically but are empowered
psychologically through their active participation in product development and
fabrication. There is a sense of shared authorship in the creative process and
final product.
Boundaries are also eliminated between high art and craft, and among various
disciplines; as such, an individual project may include photography and sewing,
silkscreen and bookbinding, or painting and weaving.
The artists represented here are playful and sometimes irreverent, but always
aware of the importance of making work that is sustainable and connected to the
earth, and work that also adds beauty and enchantment to everyday life. There
is no separation between the functional and the beautiful.
Collectively, Sem Fronteiras/Without Borders presents a vision of an art and
design world that celebrates traditional culture as an evolving and growing
element, one that can enhance and assimilate contemporary trends and, at the
same time, provide a decent, sustainable living for communities.
www.do-not-touch.com
The Fine Arts and Cultural Affairs Division would like to express our gratitude to
all of the artists who are participating in this exhibition, for the work they do to
add beauty to the world and for their efforts to preserve endangered traditions
and support communities. A very special thanks to Zoë Melo and Peter Scherrer
from TOUCH, without whose assistance, expertise and persistence this exhibition
would not have been possible. We would also like to acknowledge Thais Reiss and
Antonio Pinto from Odebrecht for their support from the beginning when this
exhibition was just a concept. And finally, we greatly appreciate the generosity
and support provided by our partners and sponsors, and especially, the Consulate
General of Brazil in Miami and the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Miami International Airport
Division of Fine Arts & Cultural Affairs
For more information, please contact 305.876.0749
or visit www.miami-airport.com
The Hand Made program of the Division of Fine Arts
& Cultural Affairs at Miami International Airport seeks
to promote awareness and interest in a wide variety of
cultures through the appreciation of handcrafts.
MÔnica Nador
Mônica Nador, currently an internationally renowned artist, was born in Ribeirão Preto, in the state of São
Paulo, spending part of her teens in São José dos Campos. In the late 90’s, she began the work to which she
is currently devoted, a project called, Painted Walls, in which her desire was “to break boundaries and expand
the artistic intervention.” Through this project, Nador developed murals in poor neighborhoods in several
peripheral cities in Brazil, encouraging residents to also paint the inside of their homes. She subsequently
formalized the project through a collaboration with the community of Vila Rhodia, in São José dos Campos,
a town very close to the city of São Paulo. After this experience, with the help of the World Bank, Nador
traveled through Mexico, Cuba, India and Pakistan. Her experiences abroad, led to her formulation and
creation of Jamac (Jardim Miriam Arte Clube), located in the south outskirts of São Paulo, a dynamic center
which functions as a cultural and artistic space for experimentation and education within that community.
Nador is represented by Luciana Brito Gallery in São Paulo.
Sergio J. Matos
Sergio J. Matos was
born in Paranatinga,
in the state of Mato
Grosso, in the heart of
Brazil. His birth in a
region near the Xingu
Indian reservation,
surrounded by Indian
culture and the great
diversity of the forest,
was significant in his
development, teaching
Matos an appreciation
for the beauty of
natural materials and
how to work with
them. Matos’ use
of color and local
resources provide his
work with an identity
that is singularly
Brazilian. Conceptually,
his pieces are inspired
by childhood memories of Brazilian interiors, adding a traditional and historical context to his work. Matos has received extensive recognition and
award for his designs, and has been included in important exhibitions in Brazil and abroad.
COLLECTION Jalapa
Collection Jalapa is a
collaboration between
Brazilian designer
Marcelo Rosenbaum
and the local chapter
of the Brazilian Service
for Support to Micro
and Small Companies
(SEBRAE). Its mission
is to improve the social
conditions of artisans
and the quality of
craft production while
promoting the continuity
of craft traditions. Its
innovative products are
made with the stems of
a small flower that grows
in the paths of state park “Jalapao”, the so-called “golden grass” of “capin dourado,” which are turned into fashion and home accessories by local
artisans. The species with golden color stems does not grow anywhere else in the world, and the practice to turn it into products dates back to
artisans descendent from African slaves who learned the craft from local indigenous communities. Its harvest is now regulated by the Tocantis state
government to ensure the grass is only collected at the right time of the year – September.
Cores da terra
Selma Calheira, born in Bahia (Brazil) in 1958, initiated “Cores
da Terra” in 1984 after completing her art studies and gaining
initial work experience. She was in immediate demand from major professional institutions as a guest speaker and teacher due to
her expertise in the field of natural pigments. “Cores da terra”
means colors of the earth and refers to the pigments she uses
in her ceramics. In the nineties, her works won international
recognition following exhibitions in New York and at the Louvre,
and during this time, she created her first giant ceramic apples, a
design that has proved timeless.
Today, her studio is a fully fledged company whose unique
expertise is appreciated worldwide.
Brunno Jahara
Brunno Jahara is a product designer and artist born in Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil. With a mix of Croatian and Lebanese, with Danish, Indian and
Italian heritage and growing up in Germany, Holland, England, the U.S.
and Brazil, Jahara is both a true Brazilian and a global citizen.
After studying at the University of Brasilia and the Istituto Universitario
di Architettura di Venezia, Jahara was selected to be part of Fabrica’s
Design Department under the guidance of Spanish design star Jaime
Hayon. At Fabrica, Jahara worked for several international clients such
as Magis, Benetton, Koziol, Casamania and developed his personal
collection for the Fabrica Features shops. Jahara has also exhibited
widely, from Venice and Paris to Tokyo.
Jahara’s designs often mix organic shapes with tropical inspiration and
sometimes humor. This combination produces unique results, making
every piece a special and collectible one. He works across diverse
media, including but not limited to graphic applications, furniture,
interiors and jewelry. Globally and locally inspired, Jahara’s work
represents his own diverse background and his interpretation of the
mixed multi-cultural society that we live in today.
STUDIO NOTUS
Rodrigo Braga França and
Ulisses Neuenschwander,
from Minas Gerais in
southeastern Brazil,
founded Notus in 2007,
launching their own product
line in 2011. Studio
Notus’ principal mission
is to create products that
“break formalities,”and
that evoke surprise and
enchantment in the user.
They achieve this through
an innovative blend of
references, unique forms
and materials.
Oferenda Design
Oferenda Design is focused on sustainable products, combining
high design and craftsmanship. The latest creations bridge
design and craft using raw, recycled materials, with an emphasis
on products that are whimsical and fun, and have multiple uses.
The Chair is meant to be used at the dinner table or a desk,
or as a decorative piece. Importance is placed on traditional
techniques and the handmade as a means of acknowledging
and renewing artistic traditions and time-honored techniques.
Estudio Manus
Estudio Manus, in Sao
Paulo, Brazil, is where
Caio de Medeiros
and Daniela Scorza
apply their experience
in design, the visual
arts and architecture,
combining all of
these ingredients to
achieve unique and
fresh results. They
draw inspiration from
popular Brazilian art
and from traditional
Brazilian handcrafts,
creating new forms
and new relationships
for the creation of
objects, furniture
and architecture. An
interesting feature
of their work is their
attempt to capture the
past and what they refer to as “images of the collective unconscious,” reviving not only useful objects but re-inventing those that would normally
be called “useless.”
Ivone Rigobello
An architect and landscape designer, Ivone Rigobello works out of her studio where she researches,
creates and develops exclusive manual prints using natural fibers. Black and white colors are constants
in her work, accompanied by subtle ranges of earth tones. Natural fibers such as jute, sisal, cotton and
wool are the basic materials used to create a variety of objects such as carpets, placemats, cushions
and decorative panels. Each piece is unique and made by hand. Rigobello has presented her work in
important exhibitions and has created print collections inspired by indigenous and natural elements for
such companies as Artes Aplicadas and Etna in Brazil.
Alexandre Sequeira
Alexandre Sequeira is a photographer but he says he is much more interested in people than in photography. The camera is only an instrument
to get close to people. In one of his projects, he spent one year in an Amazon village working as a portraitist and where most of his subjects
had never previously seen their photographic image. His series from the village of Nazaré de Mocajuba features portraits of the villagers printed
on unconventional materials used in their daily lives – sheets, towels and mosquito netting, among other pieces of textiles. The idea of printing
the pictures on the textiles was crucial to intimately associate the two forms – that is, to emphasize the relationship of the photographic image
with the memory of how the textile was used by the individual. These portraits were then re-installed outdoors within the community and
rephotographed.
Sequeira is a
professor at the Art
Institute of Science
at The Federal
University of Pará
in Belem do Pará
in northern Brazil.
He is an architect
and a specialist in
semiotics, using
photography as
a vehicle for
interaction and
exchange.
GUETO ECODESIGN
Gueto Ecodesign creates unique projects that maximize the use of solid industrial waste products to create beauty. By exploring the utilized
materials’ intrinsic potential, value is placed on the raw material without the need for investment in new industrial processes, strengthening
the concept of eco-efficient products. One of the Misses Collection, the Miss Ghana Ottoman, pictured here, is made from recycled EVA waste.
This raw material provides the essence of the product. The ottoman has no rigid structure and is entirely supported by moorings, facilitating the
assembly and separation of materials. Miss Ghana is a comfortable and entertaining product while encouraging environmental awareness.
SEM FRONTEIRAS/WITHOUT BORDERS
IÇA Project
In the span of one week, the project, A Gente Transforma, led by Marcelo Rosenbaum, in partnership with the Group Mães Amigas da Casa do
Zezinho (GMACZ), unfolded a new brand of handbags and accessories known as IÇA. The project employs several generations of women –
mothers and daughters of seamstresses – thus providing sustainable income for these families. The material used in creating the line of bags and
accessories is donated by Cipatex, a producer of plastic. To implement this sustainable business, IÇA works with a multidisciplinary team composed
of graphic and interior designers and photographers.
Rogerio Fernandes
Ever since his childhood, Rogerio Fernandes has always
had a very close relationship to art. Fernandes grew
up in northeast Brazil watching the locals produce their
woodcutting craft at local fairs. The art work was to him
mythical and mystical and served as a catalyst for his
own creative endeavors. He was also greatly influenced
by the Brazilian folklore of Indians and slaves which he
often would sketch as a child.
After graduating as a designer, Fernandes went back to
his childhood passion for the woodcuts of the northeast
with their magical mystical feel and he learned to “let
go” producing work that was more spontaneous and
free. Returning to his roots has allowed his work to grow
in light, fantasy and lyricism.
COOPA-ROCA
Rocinha Seamstress and Craftwork Co-operative Ltd., is a cooperative that trains, manages, and coordinates the work of female residents of
Rocinha, who produce artisanal pieces for fashion and design markets. The Cooperative was established in the early 1980s, with the mission of
providing the conditions for its members, female residents of Rocinha, to work from home, thereby contributing to their family budget without
having to neglect their childcare and domestic responsibilities.
COOPA-ROCA’s vision is to expand the social impact of its experience in Rocinha, becoming a national reference for the social integration of lowincome communities. Today the Cooperative includes approximately 100 artisans.
An exhibition presenting the very best and most innovative of Brazil’s art, design and
craft, offering sustainable alternatives and demonstrating a commitment to the
values of social responsibility.
Marcenaria Trancoso
Trancoso – a small village in Bahia, northeastern Brazil – is beautifully located atop a green highland by the seashore, south of Porto Seguro,
where the Portuguese first landed in the year 1500. Four centuries later, in the mid 70s, Trancoso was rediscovered and Porto Seguro and
Trancoso have become one of the top tourist destinations in Brazil for Brazilians and foreigners alike. The influx of newcomers and tourists has
sophisticated the region with beautiful homes and inns but Trancoso has kept its charm, simplicity and unique beauty unscathed.
Christian Ullman
Christian Ullman is a product designer, specializing in the development
of products with the use of natural and renewable resources, everyday
waste and recycled materials. He serves as a consultant for companies,
institutions and governments, both within Brazil and throughout Latin
America. Ullman is the recepient of numerous awards in Spain, Italy, Brazil
and Argentina.
Marcenaria Trancoso was founded in 2002 as a way to bring sophisticated ideas to simple construction techniques, creating a line of charming
Brazilian products with an international appeal. Marcenaria Trancoso has since expanded its concept and product mix which now includes a
variety of contemporary furniture, home decor accessories, porcelain and wooden tableware, natural fibers and textiles. A large part of their
product line is now sourced from other regions in Brazil and their long-term commitment is to have all of their wood items made from either
certified or recycled woods found in the tropical rainforest. In the past, local cultures had traditionally revolved around hunting as well as fishing
and elementary boatbuilding which provided Trancoso natives an intimate relationship with its forests and unusual wood-crafting skills. Today,
part of their woodwork and furniture is still produced in Trancoso, where modern concepts of design flourish in the skilled hands of expert local
artisans.
Renata Meirelles
The work of Renata Meirelles moves between art and design. By
experimenting with textiles, Meirelles creates pieces from raw
materials that navigate through the overlapping territories of art,
accessories and jewelry. Working in small and large scale pieces, her
work maintains a sense of weightlessness and light.
Meirelles has exhibited widely in museums throughout Brazil and
also abroad, most notably, in Destination Brazil at the MoMa Design
Store in New York and in Chroma and Piece Work Textile exhibition in
Toronto.
Carla Tennenbaum
Carla Tennenbaum has
a particular interest in
vernacular craft and up
cycling technologies
for discarded or
underdeveloped materials.
Most recently she has
focused on the development
of products designed to
reduce industrial waste
of e.v.a. (ethyl-vinyl
acetate), a very colorful
material that presumably
cannot be recycled and
is commonly destined for
Brazilian landfills. Her
efforts have been awarded
two international prizes:
hOLAnDA 2003, given by the Latin American Design Foundation in Amsterdam, and first prize at Design 21International Design Contest
2005, promoted by UNESCO and Felissimo Group. In addition, Tennebaum has founded project EVAMARIA, which develops productive chains
of material transformation using e.v.a. refuse as raw material for the creation of art pieces and functional objects, and employs partners/cocreators who are too impaired to make a living out of anything other than being artists.
FETICHE DESIGN
In 2008, Carolina Armellini and
Paulo Biacchi founded Fetiche Design
Studio (also known as Fetish Design
for the Home), playing with and
intermingling shapes, textures and
color, and producing designs that
are, at once, novel but classical.
As their studio name implies, the
concept of a “fetish” is intrinsic
to their design philosophy. The
dictionary defines “fetish” as an
animate or inanimate object - made
by humans or produced by nature
- that is superstitiously believed
to have magical powers and is
worshipped. The team plays with
this idea, attempting to imbue
their objects with references and
meanings beyond the formal and
the functional. The Rocking Bench,
reproduced here, is an ergonomic
design that uses a weave pattern
reminiscent of the garden seats of
the designers’ childhood from the
interior of Brazil.
MANA BERNARDES
Mana Bernardes is
a jewelry designer,
poet and visual artist
from Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil. Bernardes
has been included
in numerous
exhibitions including
Design + Social,
organized by the
Institute of PVC in
Rio de Janeiro and
Fashion without
Frontiers at São
Paulo Fashion Week
SPFW. In 2005, the
Campana brothers
invited her to
participate in the
exhibition, J’en Rêve, at the Cartier Foundation in France. Through community education social projects with the Museum of Rio de Janeiro
and the European Design Institute of Sao Paulo, Bernardes works with teenagers and students in Brazil teaching jewelry making and creative
re-use. She sees luxury in seemingly unusable materials using mini-flasks, PET bottles, phone cards, toothpicks, hair clips, plastic netting,
pearls & silver to create unique, modern jewelry crafted by hand.
Domingos Tótora
Domingos Tótora is
extremely passionate
about the preservation
of the natural landscape
and way of life in his
hometown of
Maria da Fe, Brazil.
Tótora is an artist,
a creator, and a
designer. His design
philosophy is deeply
rooted in the principles
of sustainability and
renewable organic
cycles. In a certified
sustainable process,
recycled cardboard is
broken up into small
pieces and turned into a
pulp that serves as the
base material for furniture, objects and sculptural pieces that are molded by hand, dried in the sun and finished to perfection. In this beautiful
and labor-intensive process, the cardboard, which originated as wood, essentially is brought back full cycle by taking on a wood-like quality
again. “Sustainability happens through actions and not words.”
Project ASAS
The project ASAS
(Solidarity Craft from
Aglomerado da Serra) is
an award-winning initiative
that started in 2007
as an extension of an
academic design and craft
project integrating several
areas such as sewing,
fashion, craft bookbinding,
silkscreen, photography
and management of
bamboo. Under the
coordination of Natacha
Rena and Bruno Oliveira,
the project seeks to
elaborate additional
productive processes with
the intent to serve and
strengthen a network in the Aglomerado da Serra (Belo Horizonte / Minas Gerais). Through the development of experimental proposals, a
team of designers and artisans consolidate a multidisciplinary method of technical and creative training of income generation associated with
the production of high value design and urban crafts. Currently, the ASAS develops many products such as notebooks, bags, scarves, pillows
and toys, all inspired by the everyday slum itself.
João Maciel
João Maciel is a contemporary artist working in Belo
Horizonte, Brazil. His sculptures integrate found
objects and pieces of wood and furniture. He has
exhibited on his own as well as participated in many
group exhibitions in Brazil and Latin America.