Plant cathedral 

Curator: As we move into this space, you’re confronted with Remedios Varo’s uncanny, dreamlike “Plant Cathedral.” Editor: Whoa, I feel immediately transported to a very specific and odd fairy tale, a touch unsettling, really, as if I’ve stumbled upon something hidden, something not meant for human eyes. Curator: That’s interesting. Varo often explored themes of transformation and inner journeys through her art, using oil paint and meticulous detail to craft these symbolic narratives. The painting certainly invites interpretation. For example, this almost gothic forest, mimicking cathedral architecture with organic forms. What comes to mind for you when looking at that juxtaposition? Editor: Cathedrals usually imply collective belief, structured dogma. But this cathedral… it’s constructed of nature itself, suggesting a kind of pantheistic spirituality, or perhaps even the replacement of organized religion with a reverence for the natural world. And look at the carriage! Pulled by that rather improbable rooster creature… It is the focus of the composition, framed centrally by these plant columns. It’s being led, literally, along a new path to nature. The figure inside is self-possessed but… are they aware of what exactly they are doing? Curator: Perhaps the journey is intuitive. Note the presence of the rooster – a solar symbol in many traditions, heralding the dawn and, thus, a renewed sense of perception. And a lot of cultures attribute this animal to be an aspect of the ego: is the protagonist actually ready to relinquish such hubris when entering the depths of a nature temple? Editor: Absolutely, that makes so much sense! I also think of how we try to interpret the world using symbolism, which shifts from era to era, and from culture to culture… In this work, that makes me really feel Varo is speaking to something deeply, and perhaps universally, embedded in our collective unconscious. Curator: Varo certainly had a knack for expressing intangible notions through symbols – she’s a fascinating study. It offers viewers a potent, magical, and contemplative space for the viewers. Editor: This makes you think about your own perceptions! In the end, Varo's painted question has no answer, that I can divine, which feels right somehow.