Afif Sarhan, IOL Correspondent
SAO PAULO – Fascination with Arab art is being translated into increasing popularity and salability of hand-make decorative pieces such as vases, paintings, wood boxes, lining tissues, porcelain and pillows that now decorate many Brazilian homes.
“They have a different aspect and look like they have a history printed all over,” Beatriz Rodrigues, an interior designer in Sao Paulo, told IslamOnline.net.
Arabic vases, paintings, small decorative pieces in bronze, wood boxes, lining tissues, porcelain, pillows and gold are becoming a must-have for many Brazilians.
“When I’m showing my collections to local families and offer my suggestions of decorative pieces, they are constantly keen to have something from Middle-East or North Africa inside their home,” notes Rodrigues.
The products are being imported from Lebanon, Syria, Morocco, Egypt and Turkey, and are on sale at shops from different sanders, attending all kind of public in the country.
“The handmade products are sold very expensive but there are always more accessible items so anyone can have the chance to bring such amazing art to their home,” Rodrigues explained.
Since January 2008, more than 42 exhibitions of Arabic art pieces were registered in Brazil, half of them in the last six month alone.
The exhibitions were held in differing northern and southern states, and were very successful in terms of turnout and investments.
Business
Antonio Golveia, head of business chamber in Sao Paulo, attests to the popularity of Arab art and culture in the country.
“Decoration shops in Brazil are investing in this kind of art and even if the business is dedicated to modern art, a space for Arabic one is always there,” he told IOL.
“They know that people are looking for it and they don’t want to be behind.”
There are no official figures on how much the Arabic art business contributes to the local economy.
But Bruno Martins, a shop owner, says his personal income has increased by 45 percent since he started selling Arabic pieces four months ago.
“I never had an income problem in my shop but after I started to import such pieces, the number of clients increased and when they shop, at least one small bronze piece from Lebanon is acquired,” he told IOL.
“Lining tissues and pillows from Syria and decorative cabinet knobs and jewellery boxes from Egypt are also sold in large numbers scale,” Martins adds.
“Canvases and papyrus don’t stay behind.”
Arab Promoters
Arab families living in Brazil have an important role in increasing the interest in their art and culture.
“I don’t remember going to a house of an Arab in Brazil and never finding at least a room decorated with Arabic art,” asserted Golveia.
“Many of them offer parties where they wear traditional clothes and jewellery.”
Luciana Castro Albuquerque, 31, spend years of her life living beside a Syrian family and was charmed by the Arabic decoration inside their home.
“The house was simple but the art was glamorous and chic,” she said.
“Bronze pieces were everywhere, Morocco boxes, tables covered by lining tissues from different colors and formats. Everything was shining and bringing a sensation of a millenary history.”
Albuquerque also hoped to be able to have such home decorations one day.
“When I got married, I started to decorate my home and today I have at least 20 pieces in my living room imported from Arab countries like Syria and Morocco.”
Albuquerque’s home is simple but well decorated and the Arabic pieces are everywhere showing her love of the oriental art.
“My friends sometimes joke with me that I should have married an Arab but all of them also have something inside their homes,” she said smilingly.
“I don’t think that to love Arabic art, you have to relate with someone from there.”
Arab residents are very happy that their traditional art is expanding in Brazil, and some are even making money out of this interest.
“Constantly some locals are offering parties with Arabic art as the main theme. I started to rent my own personal pieces at home and have got nice money for that,” Moussa Rubaie, 42, an accountant and now private Arabic art renter, told IOL.
“Vases, pillows, paintings, furniture and decorative pieces that I usually use in my home, can now be rented for the weekends,” he explained.
“I also asked relatives in the Middle East to send some pieces, so I can sell at home and help in our income.”
Rubaie says such transactions serve both sides.
“They are happy to have such art in their parties and I get some money to help raise my family.”
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