We are pleased to be representing Sergio J Matos in the US market since January 2019.

“More than function, Design has the power to shelter history, memory and affective ties.”

It is from this perception that the Brazilian designer, Sérgio J Matos, develops his iconic furniture and Home decoration products. His products are dipped in the Brazilian Northeast cultural cauldron with indigenous seasoning, projecting a strong identity that resists time and preserves made-by-hand ancestral techniques and knowledge.

Sérgio Matos completed his product design degree at the Federal University of Campina Grande in Paraíba in 2005, where he has worked and lived ever since. He opened his current studio seven years ago and has in that time accumulated many prizes and awards for his designs such as:

  • the ‘Design Excellence Brazil’ (Balaio armchair, Xique-Xique stove and Carambola puff in 2011);
  • the ‘Product Design Award’ (Carambola puff, Germany in 2012),
  • ‘Be Open’ (2014) and, more recently,
  • the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) Award for ‘Best Outdoors Area Furniture 2018‘ ahead of all other exhibitors who attended the global fair.

Sergio Matos is also part of “Projeto Raiz”, a collective of the best of Brazilian furniture design

FURNITURE

Nós Bench
Cobra Coral chair
Cobra Coral chair
Arreio chair
Arreio chair
Carambola Pouf
Carambola Pouf
Arupemba swing
Arupemba swing
Caçuà armchair
Caçuà armchair
Chita chair
Chita chair
Bodocongò chair
Bodocongò chair
Chita swing
Chita swing
Bench Taturana
Bench Taturana
Balao chair
Balao chair
Acaū chair
Acaū chair
Morototo chair
Morototo chair
Ipê stool
Ipê stool
Carambola basket
Carambola basket
Carambola pouf XL
Carambola pouf XL
Bodocongò swing
Bodocongò swing
Arupemba chair
Arupemba chair
Trancelim stool
Trancelim stool
Trancelim chair
Trancelim chair
Acaū side table
Acaū side table
Acaū vase
Acaū vase
Caçuà sofa
Caçuà sofa
Maracatu fruit bowl
Maracatu fruit bowl
Marakatu stool
Marakatu stool
Cariri chair
Cariri chair
Cariri coffee table
Cariri coffee table
Balaio chair
Balaio chair
Arupemba armoire
Arupemba armoire
Arupemba hamaca XL
Arupemba hamaca XL
Carupaça chair
Carupaça chair
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“PROJECT BRAZIL ORIGINAL AMAZON” (Projeto Brazil Original Amazonas)

For the past four years, Sérgio Matos has been working with communities across the Amazon, as part of the “Project Brazil Original Amazon“, to help them sustainably develop and market their ancestral handcrafted products through new design infusion.

He has worked with communities located along the Rio Negro and Solimões, Manaus, the state of Tocantins and the municipalities of Canindé de São Francisco, Poço Redondo, Parque Nacional da Serra da Capivara, Sitios Novos and Santana de São Francisco, in the state of Sergipe.

Here are a few examples of his work within Project Brazil:

HIGH RIO NEGRO – SÃO GABRIEL DA CACHOEIRA

    • Population: 38,500 inhabitants
    • Area: 110,000km²
    • Distance from the capital Manaus: 850km

Sérgio established a project with the ethnic Kuripako tribe – who speak Coripaco-Kuripako, a dialect of the Baniwa language – in the Community of São Gabriel da Cachoeira.

The community use ancient techniques of indigenous braiding to make various artifacts using the arumã fibre. Before the project began, the community sold a limited number of products to tourists and local residents. Most of the community members worked in agriculture. The project helped the community develop more sophisticated and appealing products, with greater benefit, that would be of interest to international customers.

The launch of these products at the Paralela Gift Show in Sao Paulo in 2015 helped them achieve national recognition across Brazil particularly among architects and interior decorators.

 

Gilda da Silva Barreto, from BARÉ ethnic group, was born in São Gabriel da Cachoeira and is their  community  leader.  Gilda besides doing a perfect job with the tucum fiber, she is the inspiration for  the others  artisans who participate in the project.

She started working with Sérgio Matos in 2014 and through 2015. Now she collects the fruits of this collaboration receiving  orders from every corner of the country.

RIO NEGRO – BARCELOS

  • Population: 25,300 inhabitants
  • Area: 122,500km2
  • Distance from Manaus Capital: 400km

Dinalva Dias Campos,  30, ethnicity: Tariana.

Led by Dinalva Campos, the NACIB Association in Barcelos brings together indigenous people of the Tariano, Tukano, Baniwa, Baré, Arapaço, Werequena and Tuyuca ethnicities in the middle of the Rio Negro region.

The municipality is known for its production of piaçava palm and the products created from it. These products are created in a plurality of forms and techniques founded on local concepts of art and tradition.

When Sérgio Matos came to the municipality, the NACIB Association comprised 18 members, mostly women. Monthly revenues for association members fluctuated with no minimum floor. The average price for the products sold was just USD 3.75. With Sérgio’s collaboration, the association started to develop new pieces and entire collections. The average price per piece rose to USD 62.50 with some products marketed for as much as USD 300.

In 2014 the group participated in the Paralela Gift Fair, where it managed to gross over USD 18.ooo in one single order – whereas it had come to the fair with the expectation of securing orders for a total of about USD 750. The group continues to participate in fairs and business events and has been gaining prominence in national media.

RIO NEGRO – SANTA ISABEL DO RIO NEGRO

  • Population: 23.092
  • Area: 62.846 km²
  • Distance from the capital Manaus: 683 Km

In Santa Isabel do Rio Negro, Sergio Matos worked with the “Bare” community and Tucano women, who produce baskets using vegetable fiber called Piaçava using traditional techniques.

Working with crafts since 2010, Doroteia Lopes da Silva is the leader of the Santa Isabel of Rio Negro community. The collection of pieces created for the group was inspired by the scale of the local fish “Pirarucu“.

RIO NEGRO – MANAUS – AMAZONAS

Manaus, the capital of Amazonas State is the seventh most populous city in the country

Population: over two Million.

In Manaus, the group Sergio J Matos worked with was composed of 18 women artisans from the COOPERATIVA COPAMART.  These women did not have the same ancestral tradition of making the braids as the indigenous groups but many had acquired an excellent craftmanship through 15 years of practice. The leader of the group, Ana Lima da Silva, stands out for her skills, making handicrafts for most of her life. Ana is 50 years old.