Bag made in marquetry in Acre wins international prize from UNESCO: ‘Great achievement’ | Acre

Acreian Maqueson Pereira da Silva, born in Cruzeiro do Sul, 636 km from the capital Rio Branco, took his art to Santiago, Chile, and won the Craft Excellence Award for South America, organized by the World Crafts Council ( CMA). With the female bag, called clutchthe artisan was highlighted at the event that celebrated South American art and culture: the Mercado das Indústrias Culturais do Sul 2024 (Micsur).

With artisans from nine South American countries, products from Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and Chile also competed for the coveted award. One of the criteria for selecting the products was participation in the Sebrae Top 100 Crafts Award.

The winner has a career spanning more than 35 years dedicated to crafts. He is already a well-known name in Brazil and abroad, with national awards such as the TOP 100 in Crafts, and notable works, such as the ambiance of the Farm store in London. This international award is a recognition of the artist’s dedication and professionalism.

“It is a recognition from UNESCO which in itself is already an award. Having this recognition in the world for work of excellence in the area is something that every artist or craftsman would like to receive. It is a great achievement”, he celebrated.

Marquetry is the art of fitting different woods together to create designs. He says he met her through carpentry.

“I come from the Juruá ravines and I was a seminarian at the priests’ college in Cruzeiro do Sul. I went to Santa Catarina to study marquetry, and there it was mandatory to learn a profession. I started with carpentry and after I was already studying, I discovered marquetry, which It’s the art of fitting together different woods to create a design. If I wanted to learn, I would have to go to Italy, so I didn’t have the money until the opportunity arrived. [de estudar no exterior]”, he added.

Craftsman from Acre receives UNESCO award for bag made in marquetry

The artist takes three to five days to produce each bag. To manufacture the various pieces, including bags, boxes, jewelry boxes, key chains and paintings, 156 species of trees are used, making it necessary to import some types from Germany. All the colors used in the art are natural to the wood, only the blue color is produced through a chemical effect, making the tree grow with this tone.

“This bag [premiada] It was inspired by the butterfly, because they say it is the greatest witness to the existence of God. When it opens its wings, it forms a mirror and repeats itself in the same way in the plane when we see it closed. So it was with this in mind that this piece was developed, thinking about the butterfly because we have diversity in our region”, he said.

The fifth edition of the Sebrae Award, which is a joint initiative of the Micro and Small Business Support Service (Sebrae) and the Brazilian Crafts Reference Center (CRAB Sebrae), received entries from 1,208 artisans from all regions of Brazil, demonstrating the diversity and richness of national crafts.

“The seal of excellence from UNESCO and CMA confirms that Acre’s artisanal production is modernizing and preserving its cultural identity. Among 96 pieces entered by seven South American countries, only 16 artisans were awarded, and Maqueson, from the interior of Acre , is among them”, explains Aldemar Maciel, tourism, crafts and creative economy manager at Sebrae in Acre.

The 100 artisans selected gained recognition throughout the country and the right to use the Sebrae Top 100 Crafts Award seal, 5th edition, which is a differentiator in the market, highlighting the winners as references in their areas.

“The award aims to identify and highlight the best practices in the field of crafts. The 100 most competitive units are transformed into references, going through a process of continuous improvement. In Acre, two production units were awarded: Marchetaria do Acre and Doutor da Rubber. This recognition is a testimony to the talent and dedication of Acre’s artisans”, he commented.