The artisans of Co-op Roca
The artisans of Co-opa Roca
Art Architecture Design What We Do Publications and Resources British Council Collection Visual Arts Library Venice Biennale Co-opa Roca at Selfridges’ Brasil 40º
5 -31 May 2004
The British Council brought together British designers Paul Smith, Tord Boontje and Agent Provocateur with Co-opa Roca, a womens’ handcrafts co-operative founded 20 years ago by Rio de Janeiro native Maria Teresa Leal. Their designs were showcased in the Super Brands department of Selfridges as part of the London stores promotion, Brasil 40º.
Nick Chandor from Paul Smith with artisans from Co-opa Roca
Co-opa Roca is situated amidst the jumbled buildings and labyrinthine passageways of Rocinha, Brazil’s largest favela, or shantytown. Many of the women were homemakers with no income before joining the co-operative. Most of them migrated from Brazil’s Northeast region, trading the danger of rural starvation for the risk of urban violence. In the beginning, five women made products out of textile remnants and rags.
An artisan from Co-op Roca making Tord Boontje's light
Today, armed with the skills of patchwork, knotting, crochet and fuxicos, a traditional Brazilian circular patchwork, 150 women earn a steady income by creating pieces for some of Brazil’s best-known fashion designers and artists. The designs included a crocheted chandelier trailing with silk flowers (Tord Boontje), a re-upholstered 19th century English mahogany bench (Paul Smith), fuxico- embellished shirts for men and women (Paul Smith) and Carnival inspired lingerie (Agent Provocateur).
View of Rocinha from Co-opa Roca
“Co-opa Roca means a lot of good things to me. After I joined I believe I became more happy, strong and wiser. In the past I was only a poor woman from the countryside and today I consider myself a very special artisan. I don’t know where London is but I can see that this project is very important for Coopa Roca so I’m doing my best to make everything pretty” (Madalena Ramos – 62 anos, Co-opa Roca artisan)
For futher information please contact Emily Campbell
