São Paulo – On Saturday (22), Lar Sírio Pró-Infância unveiled an open-air gallery, transforming the exterior walls of the institution into a large artistic panel. The walls facing Cantagalo Street, in the Tatuapé neighborhood of São Paulo, now depict, through art, not only the organization’s current activities but also the arrival of Syrian immigrants in Brazil. These immigrants were the founders of Lar Sírio, an organization that supports children and adolescents in vulnerable social situations through socio-educational projects and psychosocial assistance.
Apolo Torres was responsible for designing and painting the section of the mural dedicated to the immigrants. The painter and muralist explained to ANBA that he wanted to work with the concept of memory, using pastel tones and outlines instead of gradients, light, and realistic shadows. “As if it were a somewhat colored pencil drawing, with a more aged look,” he described his creation. “I wanted to create something that felt more like a sketch,” he said, referring to his approach of portraying immigration as a memory-like image.
As a tribute to the founders, the artistic mural features a gray-toned ship in the background, with the immigrants in the foreground painted in a stronger hue, carrying their suitcases and children. There is also a larger, more colorful foreground image depicting part of a couple’s bodies with suitcases in hand. Lar Sírio was founded by immigrants from the Syrian city of Homs, who initially settled in Brazil as peddlers and merchants.
The wall is a potpourri of history, portraits, and colors. A letter from a family assisted by the institution was transformed into art, along with images of a girl braiding hair, hands touching flowers, a violin, hopscotch, the sun, abstract elements, writings about Lar Sírio, and sparrows. One of the artists involved in the project, Pardal [Portuguese for sparrow], paints these birds not just as representations of themselves but as symbols narrating stories and emotions.
The president of Lar Sírio, Sergio Stephano Chohfi Filho, told ANBA that bringing this wall to life was a long-held dream. “One of the goals is to make Tatuapé a cultural center, a cultural hub for the entire surrounding area,” he said. He mentioned that the entire board of Lar Sírio is deeply moved by the artwork and highlighted the support that made it possible, noting that Lar Sírio will celebrate its 102nd anniversary in July.
The execution of the mural was led by the artistic innovation hub Dionisio.AG. One of the agency’s founders, Jean Paschalis, said that Lar Sírio requested the mural to tell the institution’s story while incorporating the unique styles of each selected artist. A total of six artists contributed to the project—besides Apolo Torres and Pardal, Agatha De Faveri, Atual Art, Clara Leff, and Guilherme Asthma also participated.
“You can see that some artists worked with lettering, others with realism, some even a bit abstract and figurative, but the most important thing is that they managed to capture the essence of the Lar Sírio’s existence from the very beginning,” Paschalis told ANBA. The creation of the mural was a collective effort, starting with a large discussion where ideas emerged and the drawings began to take shape.
The superintendent of Lar Sírio Pró-Infância, Elaine Bueno Silva, explained that the institution’s 100-year anniversary book served as a foundation for the artistic work. Additionally, there were immersion and integration sessions with the children assisted by Lar Sírio, briefing moments, and opportunities for the artists to explore the spaces and activities of the organization. She described the mural as a reference to the past, present, and future, with the latter represented by hope.
Unveiling
The unveiling event of the artwork, called “Arte na Cantagalo,” took place on Saturday afternoon on the street where the 200-meter-long panel is located. There were musical performances and a symbolic act next to the mural, as well as free popcorn distribution. Among various attractions, there was a concert by singer Graça Cunha and performances by the children and teenagers assisted by the institution.
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