Plant Insumsia 

Remedios Varo painted this strange scene of scientific observation, filled with curious iconography, sometime before her death in 1963. Here we find a solitary figure meticulously tending to unusual plant life. The plants themselves, thin and reaching, evoke a sense of longing, a reaching out as seen in mannerist paintings of the 16th century. The subject's wild hair mirrors this reaching, blurring the lines between the observer and the observed, echoing the interconnectedness of humankind and nature found in alchemical illustrations. The act of cultivation has roots in ancient fertility rituals, where tending to the earth was a sacred, life-affirming act. Yet, here, the sterile laboratory setting and the androgynous figure introduce a modern twist, hinting at a psychological longing to return to the earth. As we delve deeper, we realize the non-linear path of these symbols, constantly resurfacing, evolving, and adapting in new contexts.