São Paulo – The Embassy of Brazil in Beirut and the Brazil-Lebanon Cultural Center are hosting the previously unseen art show Colors of Bahia, a tribute to Paulo & Vera, by the Bahia, Brazil-based artist Ana Cacau, opening May 21 (Tuesday) starting 7 pm at the cultural center in the capital of Lebanon. The show will run until May 24.
The abstract painting exhibit pays tribute to fellow Bahia natives Paulo Cordeiro and Vera Estrela, ambassador of Brazil to Beirut and his wife, who died tragically in a car accident in Italy last week. Cordeiro had been stationed in that country since last year. “Both took great pride in their roots,” said to ANBA Thiago Oliveira, the head of culture at the Embassy of Brazil in Beirut, over the phone from Lebanon.
This will be Ana Cacau’s first-ever showing in an Arab country, and her first trip to Lebanon as well. She also spoke to ANBA on the phone, from Salvador, and said she’d been planning out the show with the Embassy since last year. “It was a very sad fatality what happened to the ambassador and his wife. I have learned that they were deeply loved. I’m honored to pay tribute to them,” she said.
Cacau said sixteen 90x70cm paintings will premiere in the showing, each one featuring a positive word (in Portuguese) like Success (pictured), Lightheartedness, Joy, Love and Peace. “The paintings represent the energy and the color and each of these words give off,” said the artist, who studies Quantum Physics.
“I picked positive words because I believe art is a way to bring up the good in things. It’s a universal language, and each picture is created with lots of love. I want to bring that good energy into people’s homes,” said Cacau. The artworks will be on sale, but prices are yet to be set.
Ana Cacau will arrive in Beirut a few days before the show. She will teach a free painting workshop (in Portuguese) on Friday, May 17 in the afternoon, to Brazilian children who live in the Bekaa Valley area. The workshop will take place at the Lucy City Hall. To register, send an email to brasiliban@itamaraty.gov.br.
“She [Cacau] celebrates Bahia art. She’s really popular in that area,” said Oliveira. Cacau said her pictures are in the homes of artists like Daniela Mercury, Saulo, Armandinho and Carla Perez.
Cacau has always worked with art. Since the year 2000, she has been into paintings with oil, acrylic on canvas, and 3D structures. She employs a technique of transparency and superimposition of figurative images. She is being featured in exhibits in Brazil and elsewhere lately.
Find out more from the event’s Facebook page.
Quick facts
Exhibition “Colors of da Bahia, a Tribute to Paulo & Vera”
Brazil-Lebanon Cultural Center
Opening: May 21, 7pm
May 22, 23, 24, 10am-8pm
Mar Mitr Street, Trad building, N. 176, Achrafieh
Beirut, Lebanon
Free admission
Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
