Varal 1993

"Varal" (1993) by Adriana Varejão is a striking example of her signature style that incorporates traditional Portuguese azulejos (ceramic tiles) with themes of violence and the body. The artwork depicts a series of severed human limbs, intestines, and other body parts hanging from a bar against a background of cracked and chipped tiles. The graphic depiction of dismemberment and the use of azulejo tiles evokes historical and cultural anxieties associated with colonial violence and the body. This powerful and disturbing work raises questions about the representation of the body, the history of colonization, and the enduring legacy of violence.