Art Madrid'25 – REMEDIOS VARO BACK HOME

Remedios Varo, Creation of Birds, 1957, Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City, Mexico

 

 

Maria de los Remedios Alicia Rodriga Varo and Uranga, better known as Remedios Varo (1908-1963), was born in Gerona at the beginning of the century, after beginning her studies at the San Fernando Academy, contracted, then moved to Paris. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, she positioned herself for the Republican side and ended up emigrating to Mexico, she did not know that at the time, but this would be her home. Here she dedicated herself to advertising illustration, but soon became known, and now everyone knows her for being one of the first women to popularize her work in Mexico.

 

 

Remedios varo, Mimicry, 1960. Museum of Modern Art, Mexico City, Mexico.

 

 

His work is easily recognizable by this fantastic tint and symbolic transcendence. One of its marks is the tendency to mysticism. Together with Leonora Carrington she forged a friendship that transcended in time and for that reason now, they are associated so frequently. Remedios, marked his works with a careful scientific iconography and much of his work can now be admired in the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico. He has been a protagonist in many times, but this exhibition is outstanding among the others.

 

 

Remedios Varo. Notes and anecdotes from a collection. Photography © Museo de Arte Moderno. Mexico City, Mexico.

 

 

"Remedios Varo, notes and anecdotes of a collection" shows with 39 pieces. It is all the trajectory of the artist. Its main piece is the catalog rationale, first published in 1994 by Era. The exhibition is divided into three large thematic groups, which tell us curious data, studies of the signatures and the thread of the whole exhibition. Also testimonies of external people who tell the essence of the works.

 

 

Photo of the exhibition "Remedios Varo, notes and anecdotes of a collection"

 

The last part of the visit focuses more on curiosities of this great artist of surrealism, known in the whole world. You can enjoy the exhibition until February 2017 at the Museum of Modern Art of Mexico. Undoubtedly, Varo was a woman who put aside the conventions and ended up giving the recipe of how to have erotic dreams to anyone who wanted to share it, here we leave the ingredients of chef Varo.

 


Ingredients:
One kilo of strong root
Three white hens
A head of garlic
Four kilos of honey
A mirror
Two calf livers
A brick
Two clothes pegs
A corset with whales
Two false mustaches
Hats to taste

 

 

 

 

At the most recent edition of Art Madrid, artist Luis Olaso (Bilbao, 1986), represented by Kur Art Gallery (San Sebastián), received the Residency Prize of the Art Madrid Patronage Program. This award, the result of a collaboration between Art Madrid, DOM Art Residence, and the Italian association ExtrArtis, enabled him to undertake an artistic residency in Sorrento (Italy) in August 2025.

Through initiatives like this, the fair reaffirms its support for contemporary creation—a commitment aimed at increasing artists’ visibility and strengthening art collecting through concrete actions such as acquisition prizes, recognition of emerging talents, and international residencies.


Artists in Residence. DOM & ExtrArtis. Image courtesy of Agata D’Esposito.


The DOM & ExtrArtis 2025 Residency Program took place in Sorrento from August 1 to 31, 2025. The artists lived together at Relais La Rupe, a 16th-century villa surrounded by cliffs and centuries-old gardens, which became an ideal setting for experimentation and exchange.

In this edition, residents worked around the theme “Reimagining Genius Loci”, an invitation to reflect on how the movement of people and traditions transforms the “spirit of place.” During the residency, DOM organized two public group exhibitions: the first to present the artists’ previous work, and the second to showcase the projects developed in Sorrento.


Work by Luis Olaso. DOM & ExtrArtis. Image courtesy of Agata D’Esposito.


Luis Olaso’s work moves between expressionist figuration and abstraction, always employing a pictorial language charged with strength and emotion. Initially self-taught, he later graduated in Fine Arts and has developed a solid international career, with exhibitions at venues including JD Malat (London) and Makasiini Contemporary (Turku, Finland), and participation in fairs such as Untitled Miami, Estampa, and Art Madrid itself.

His work is part of prestigious collections, including the Tokyo Contemporary Art Foundation, Fundación SIMCO, and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, and has been recognized in competitions such as the Reina Sofía Prize for Painting and Sculpture and the Ibercaja Young Painting Prize.

In Sorrento, Olaso found a unique context to expand his pictorial research, engaging in dialogue with the Mediterranean landscape and the region’s historical heritage. The residency provided him with time, resources, and a framework for exchange with other international artists, fostering the production of new works that were later presented in the group exhibitions organized by DOM.


Luis Olaso working on his project. DOM & ExtrArtis. Image courtesy of DOM.

Luis Olaso’s experience at DOM Art Residence concluded with a public showcase of the works produced, reinforcing his presence on the international circuit and consolidating his position as one of the most prominent Basque artists on the contemporary scene.


Through initiatives such as this, Art Madrid demonstrates its active role as a platform for direct support of contemporary creation, creating opportunities for research, production, and intercultural dialogue that extend beyond the fair itself and accompany artists in their professional development.