Surreal Dreams: The Art of Remedios Varo and the Power of Surrealist Automatism
Today, the 16th of December, we celebrate the life and art of Remedios Varo, a Spanish Surrealist painter who left an indelible mark on the art world. Born on December 16, 1908, in Anglès, Spain, Varo was a true trailblazer who followed her passions and created beautiful, thought-provoking works of art.
Varo was a true Renaissance woman, studying physics and chemistry at the University of Barcelona before attending the Escuela de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid. She later traveled to Paris, where she was immersed in the Surrealist movement and worked with artists like Max Ernst and Andre Breton.
But Varo's journey didn't end there. Fleeing the Spanish Civil War, she eventually found her way to Mexico, where she spent the majority of her career and formed close relationships with other artists, including Leonora Carrington and Kati Horna. Varo and Carrington even worked on collaborative murals together, like "The Chariot of the Sea" and "The House of the Fairy."
So what made Varo's art so special? Her paintings are known for their dreamlike quality, depicting surreal landscapes and fantastical creatures while exploring themes of identity, gender roles, and the human experience. She was a master of symbolism, using alchemy and the occult as recurring motifs in her work.
But perhaps most importantly, Varo's art celebrated the strength and independence of women. Her paintings feature powerful, dynamic female figures who refuse to be pigeonholed by societal expectations.
Here are some of her most appreciated works to check out:
- The Souls of the Mountain Remedios Varo • 1938
2. Eyes on the table Remedios Varo • 1938.
3. Gypsy and harlequin Remedios Varo • 1947.
4. Revelation (The watch) • 1955.
5. Harmony • 1956.
6. Alchemy or the Useless Science • 1958.
7. Garden of love • 1951
8. Lady Godiva • 1959
In 1949, Varo began to develop a unique and recognizable style that is both enigmatic and beautiful. She typically used oil on masonite panels that she had prepared herself. Although her paintings have the rich, blended qualities of oil paint, her brushstrokes often consisted of numerous thin layers of paint placed close together, which is more similar to the technique of using egg tempera. Tragically, Varo passed away from a heart attack in Mexico City at the peak of her career in 1963.
In 2020 her work “Harmony (Alleged self-portrait)” was sold at Sotheby’s auction of Surrealist and modernist works. The expected price for the painting was between 2–3 million dollars, but it ultimately fetched a surprising 6.1 million dollars, making it the most expensive work by the artist.
On this special day, we celebrate the enduring legacy of Remedios Varo and the important role she played in the development of Surrealist art. Her art continues to inspire and captivate audiences today. As we look to the future and the continued evolution of the art world, we can't help but wonder: what can we learn from Varo's unique vision and imaginative style today? How can her paintings, with their dreamlike quality and symbolic meaning, continue to inspire and captivate audiences in the age of NFTs and the progressive surreal art wave?
Credit for images used in this article: https://www.wikiart.org/en/remedios-varo
