São Paulo – The new exhibition by Brazilian artist of Syrian descent Hilal Sami Hilal has been on view at Casa França-Brasil in Rio de Janeiro since last Saturday (24). “Lugar de Passagem” (loosely translated as “Crossing Point”) will run through October 20, with free admission. Some elements of the work by the Vitória-born artist are featured in this new show, including the use of copper and handmade paper. The exhibition is curated by Marcus de Lontra Costa and Rafael Fortes Peixoto.
Titled “Artigo 3º,” referencing the third article of the 1988 Constitution, which addresses the creation of a free, just, and solidary society, the work occupies the central part of the Casa França-Brasil building. The piece is 14.5 meters long 3.5 meters high. According to information released by Casa França-Brasil, it is made of copper, consists of names representing Brazilian citizens, and references mashrabiya, which are lattice decorations in Arab architecture.
Another piece contrasts with “Artigo 3º” by using paper instead of copper. In this work, 80,000 pages connect in a layout that covers 100 square meters, resembling one book merging into another or books interconnected in the viewer’s memory. Titled “Sherazade,” it references the main character from “One Thousand and One Nights,” who tells her husband a new story each night to escape death.
Exhibition reflects Hilal’s Syrian heritage
Other works in the exhibition center around literature. Another series on display, titled “Alepo,” highlights paper and references Aleppo, the Syrian city of Hilal’s ancestors. In one of the exhibition rooms, paper takes center stage once again, with clothes, shoes, and household items printed directly onto it.
Two other untitled works from the “Atlânticos” series reappear in another exhibition space, featuring a new exploration of copper. In this presentation, the material has been treated through corrosion and oxidation, acquiring green hues as part of Hilal Sami Hilal’s contemporary depictions.
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Translated by Guilherme Miranda
