Adriana Varejão (b. 1964)

Galeria Camargo Vilaça
Acquired from the above by the present owner (1996)

 

San José, Museo de Arte Costarricense, Arte de las Américas: Colecciones en Costa Rica, 2001, n.n.

(This condition report has been provided courtesy of Amann + Estabrook Conservation Associates) Auxiliary Support: The painting is mounted on a six member wooden stretcher. The forward faces are beveled and there are keys in all of the corner joins, which have been opened slightly. Support: The fabric support is a medium weight cotton with scattered weave imperfections. The tacking margins wrap around to the reverse where they are stapled to the stretcher. Numerous small brown stains and punctures suggest the use of previous tacks or nails along the reverse. There are scattered pale stains on the reverse of the cotton. There is a small tear along the back edge of the tacking margin on the right side at 9 ½ to 10 ½" from the lower edge. Ground and Paint Layers: The ground was commercially applied and consists of a thin white layer which does not fill the interstices of the weave. The paint, estimated to be a synthetic resin, is very loosely and broadly applied in the background. Brushstrokes create uneven texture and tonality due to the varied application. There are several areas of slight discoloration: in the upper left corner, along the right side at approximately 7 ½ to 11" from the upper edge, in the center near the left at 6 to 9 ½" from the left edge and 27 to 31" from the upper edge. The figure is painted with 4 ½ x 4 ½" trompe l'oeil tiles most of which have a glossy surface. The blue and white tiles, meant to look like 17th century Dutch tiles, have a matte reflectance. Minor fine cracking is visible intermittently along the turning edge and scattered in the composition. Grey paint is visible along the left edge below center and there are several tiny white splatters in the lower portion of the figure, assumed to be part of the artist's process. An incised line with a halo of slightly darker paint is located at 9 ¾ to 10 3/8" from the lower edge and 0 to 3" from the right edge. The surface is slightly rubbed to the left of the figure's proper right ankle and there are scattered brown stains along the lower edge to the left of center. Under ultraviolet light, the surface has an overall mottled and uneven absorption which reflects the loose paint application. Scattered spots are visible under ultraviolet light which appear as extremely subtle staining in normal light. Comments on Condition The painting is in good and stable condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Early descriptions and portrayals of Brazil by the European newcomers often included detailed renderings of the new ports and of natives, against a lush tropical background, either in the forests or on the new European farms. Dutch artists like Albert Eckhout and Frans Post have provided much of Adriana Varejão's source of inspiration for her compositions. Varejão's work primarily focuses on deconstructing colonial views of Brazil as a paradise. In them, Varejão takes a revisionist view of visual sources, often unmasking a turbulent past in which the Europeans violently take possession, subjugate and exploit the indigenous and African inhabitants of this new world.

In Figura de Convite, Varejão makes use of one of her most recurrent references, Portuguese ornamental tiles, to highlight its decorative and superficial art form. By assembling different types of tiles, Varejão creates a new hybrid entity: While we see in royal blue over pure white the boots and patches of a Portuguese colonist, arabesque baroque decorations appear over the rest of the body on a darker background as if suggesting Indian tattoos. A sense of the modern and everyday is added to the image by finishing the composition with modern blue bathroom tiles. The inviting gestures of the hands seem to echo the word "enter", "come in", and add an ironic element.  Varejão is more interested in the walls behind the tiles; for her, these have far more significance.