São Paulo – The house was in San Ramón, Costa Rica, but harboured a Lebanese universe inside. On the menu was sfihas and all of the Arab country’s delicacies, the décor was typical Lebanese fare, the music played was sung in Arabic and the conversations Carmen Zaglul would have with her grandfather, Wajib Zaglul, revolved around the books of famous Lebanese philosopher Gibran Khalil Gibran, among other intellectuals from the Middle East nation.
Such was the setting where fine artist Carmen Zaglul, was brought up, a Lebanese-born, Brazilian-based woman who spent much of her life in Costa Rica. From her Lebanese roots sprang some of the influences that made her turn to the arts. “I’ve always been told: ‘Your artistic side comes from him,’”Zaglul told ANBA regarding what her relatives used to say about her maternal grandfather’s role in her artistic inclinations.
Mr Zaglul was a merchant, but his dream was to be a philosopher. He did not have a chance to study. He passed away when Carmen was 19. She lived in Lebanon until age three. The war led the family to move to Costa Rica. They planned on returning to their homeland eventually, but never could. Carmen’s mother was born in the Central American country because her parents had migrated there seeking economic opportunities during the 20s.
The artist’s mother returned to Lebanon in her adulthood and married a Lebanese man, until she had to relocate to Costa Rica again, this time with her new family. Carmen’s father’s last name is Abdo, but since in Costa Rica the mother’s surname comes after the father’s, she wound up being known as Carmen Zaglul in Brazil. “I became Carmen Zaglul,” she says.
Carmen has lived in São Paulo for eight years now and had her first exhibition as a fine artist in Florianópolis last November. Titled “Estamos em obras” (freely translated as We are at work), the show featured collaborative paintings by Carmen and the Santa Catarina state native Larissa Poeta. “I travelled to Florianópolis once a month in 2014,” the Lebanese artist says regarding the process with Poeta. The artworks showcase the affinity between the artists, who hail from such far-apart places. “It was so playful; I felt we fed off each other nicely; we felt enticed to create and to bear witness to one another,” she says, about the act of imprinting emotions upon the canvas.
Zaglul graduated in Advertising in Costa Rica. Later she studied Languages and then Photography. “But ever since I can remember, I have been drawing, painting,” she claims. According to her, Advertising could never fulfil her need for happiness. Thus, photograph became an outlet for artistic expression. It was one of the first art fields in which she had a breakthrough.
The artist moved to Brazil as a result of a work invitation from her wife. In Brazil, she has had photographic exhibitions and won photography and image editing prizes. One of Zaglul’s current lines of work is image editing for books and magazines. She favours jobs that focus on planet-related issues such as water. Carmen also writes poetry, some of which she includes in her paintings or photographic works.
Zaglul and Poeta plan on taking the "Estamos em obras" exhibit to other Brazilian cities next year. In her future works, the Lebanese artist wants to address her Arab background. “It’s in the back of my mind, it’s something I need to bet out there,” she says. According to her, “being Lebanese” is one of the things that define her as a person the most.
Contact:
Website: www.carmenzaglul.com
Email: zaglul.carmen@gmail.com
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
