The Magic of Remedios Varo

by Luis-Martín Lozano

This reprinted volume, originally published in 2000 on the occasion of the first major exhibition of Varo’s art in the United States hosted by the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC., studies the full range of Varo’s work. It considers her formal artistic training in the rigid academic atmosphere of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid, and her sojourns in Paris in 1930 and 1937, which brought Varo into contact with the surrealist movement of André Breton that was to define her artistic expression for the rest of her career. The main part of the book is devoted to the period following her exile in Mexico in 1940. It was here that Varo’s art became fully defined, and where she was recognized and championed by leading intellectual figures, such as the poet Octavio Paz. This volume celebrates in 77 beautiful colour paintings the complexity of Varo’s art, which defies easy classification. Inspired by the visual forms of surrealist artists, such as Yves Tanguy and Marcél Jean, but at the same time establishing its own unique vision, the paintings of Remedios Varo evoke a sense of deep mystery that leads us through a complex intellectual world, where cunning, irony and harsh questioning are the cornerstones of art.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Biography

152 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Juju · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the product of the first US retrospective of Remedios Varo's work, and is limited to works presented in that exhibition, so it is far from comprehensive. That said, the design of the book is beautiful, the selection of her work is impressive and the brief biography and analysis of her art is a good introduction to this artist. Pick this up for the paintings themselves and be transported.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lozano es un gran conocedor de la obra de Varo. Siempre es un gusto leerle, su perspectiva es muy interesante.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most folks who have taken an Art History 101 class in the past 15 years are familiar with Frida Kahlo. Fewer, however, have heard of the remarkable Spanish woman who became one of the foremost surrealist artists of Mexico. (I used to teach art survey courses, so I have some reason to know.) Varo explores the details of life, relishes scientific observation, technology, biology, and a sense of discovery through her paintings.

The reproductions of Varo's work are quite good and capture some of the richness of her techniques. This book is also a good scholarly introduction to her work, and a significant contribution to modernist art history. Hopefully this book will inspire people to go see Remedios Varo's work in museums and encourage more young scholars to consider women's contributions to Surrealism.

[Ricardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Las reproducciones de los cuadros son algo pequeñas, pero Remedios Varo es gigante :)