The best from Brazil comes to town

It’s been a slow burn but the world is waking up to just how hot Brazil really is.

The property market is booming there and the economy is doing well. Add to that a great sense of style and you have all the ingredients for success.

Any design aficionado will tell you that Brazil equals fabulous furniture and modern architecture.

The capital Brasilia was designed in 1956 by the architect Oscar Niemeyer and is widely regarded as a beacon of contemporary design. The new buildings demanded new furniture and designers like Sergio Rodrigues and Jorge Zalszupin rose to the challenge.

The 21st century has seen renewed interest in Brazilian design, according to Chris Wilde, an antiques dealer who set up Harrogate-based Brazilia Interiors with his wife, Carmo, who is an interior designer.

The couple sell re-issues of classics and import striking modern designs by Sergio Fahrer and the Campana brothers.

The most popular piece he sells is the Paulistano chair designed by Paulo Mendes Da Rocha in 1957, though his personal favourite is a stool by Sergio Fahrer. which was inspired by an Amazonian canoe. The seat is decorated with a wrap of Amazonian rushes.

“What I really love about Brazilian furniture is the quality and the fact it is so different. The interest in it is worldwide. We send pieces all over from Miami to Egypt,” says Chris, who has loaned some of his pieces to a new exhibition at the The Gallery@ The Civic, Barnsley.

The show, which celebrates the best of contemporary Brazilian craft and design, starts tomorrow.

Hot Stuff from Brazilian designers:

1.Jose Buffet by Mauricio Arruda. Architect Arruda’s approach to design focuses on materials within the urban landscape. These free-standing storage units are created from wooden sheets and coloured plastic trays.

2. Africa Chair by Rodrigo Almeida, who is completely self taught takes found objects from the city of São Paulo and transforms them using traditional craft techniques. His creations include shelves made out of backpacks.

3. Fernando and Humberto Campana Leatherworks chair. The Campana Brothers are two of Brazil’s best-known furniture designers. They take everyday objects such as scraps of wood, furry toys, and rubber hosepipes and transform them into something of value and beauty. They also use the country’s traditional crafting techniques into their work. 4. Paulistano Chair by Paulo Mendes da Rocha. A re-issue of a 1950s classic by the only other Brazilian architect to win the Pritzer Prize.

5. Eclipse lamp by Maurizio Klabin uses one single piece of plastic and some bent metal and is in the permanent collection of MOMA, New York as a design classic.

6. Stool by Sergio Fahrer is a young designer who has made a big impact. Inspired by an Amazonian canoe.

ON DISPLAY AND WHERE TO BUY

The +55Brazil exhibition is open until November 20 at The Gallery@ The Civic, Hanson Street, Barnsley.

Featured designers include celebrated architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha, Brazil’s best known furniture designers the Campana brothers, internationally respected fashion designer Jum Nakao, design houses OVO, Fetiche Design and Faro Design, up and coming design stars Rodrigo Almeida and Sérgio J Matos, as well as much-loved brands Melissa and Havaianas,

Brazilia Interiors sells Brazilian design classic and contemporary design, www.braziliainteriors.com