Born Again 

Remedios Varo painted 'Born Again' with oil on masonite; although undated, it probably dates from her mature period in Mexico. It depicts a strange, spectral figure emerging from a rent in a fabric or membrane. Before her sits a table, upon which rests a chalice or goblet. Varo was part of the Surrealist circle in Mexico City, having fled Europe during the Second World War, and her works explored the subconscious, the mystical, and the scientific. But unlike the male Surrealists, Varo used the visual language of dreams to explore specifically female experiences. She challenged the patriarchal structure of the art world, and indeed, of society itself. She saw the prevailing culture as a kind of prison. Her ‘Born Again’ proposes an escape. As art historians, we can understand Varo better by looking at her influences and her context. We might consult feminist theory or look at Mexico's history of radical politics. The social conditions of art matter as much as the art itself!