Remedios Varo

(1908-1963)

Spanish-Mexican Surrealist Painter

Remedios Varo was just reaching new heights, before being taken from us by a heart attack at age of 54. (She was a heavy smoker).

Her full name was María de los Remedios Alicia Rodriga Varo y Uranga. 

She was born in Spain and later moved to France. She learned she couldn't return to her home country because of the Spanish Civil War. Misfortune followed her because during World War II, Spanish refugees were being threatened, and then in response to the Nazi invasion, she decided to flee France. She ultimately found her peace in Mexico. 

Her father was an engineer and taught her how to draw. She eventually rebelled. Varo was critical of her religion, she grew up to reject the religious ideology of her strict Catholic upbringing. Ironically, much of her work seems influenced by religion and spirituality. In actuality her paintings were inspired by a wide range of sources; Ancient mythology, occultism, even the writings of notable psychologist Carl Jung. 

Her work depicted dreamlike landscapes populated by mysterious, symbolic figures, Like alchemists, witches, mechanical & fantastical creatures.
Also, cats. She painted her fair share of cats.

Her paintings explored the themes of transformation, metamorphosis, and the mysteries of the human psyche. Her works also contained deep social and political undertones, reflecting the turmoil of those war ridden times.

 She was an important part of the surrealist art movement, which was known for its rejection of traditional societal norms, instead shifting towards and embracing creativity and individual freedom. 

Much of her art reflected many of the ideas and principles associated with anarchism, a political philosophy that emphasizes the importance of individual freedoms and the rejection of centralized power and authority. While she wasn't explicitly an anarchist, the principles and ideas associated with anarchism are consistent themes in her artwork.

She often depicted strong female figures in her paintings. Some of her paintings feature themes concerning the creative power of women and their ability to bring new life into the world. They also challenge the antiquated notion of the male artist as the sole creator of art. Varo also painted androgynous figures, which are sometimes portrayed as powerful creators. The androgenous characters add to the dreamy mystical quality of her surrealistic imagery. 

The number of paintings Remedios Varo painted isn't known because some of her work were lost or destroyed over time. It is estimated that she produced around 200 paintings during her career. Many of her paintings are now considered masterpieces of surrealism.

(Here are just a few that I like):