The history of contemporary art in Brazil is one that reveals a wild and eclectic blend of styles and personalities. Since the restrictions were lifted in the later part of the 20th century, more and more work has become known to the rest of the world, and more bold experiments are being created. This is all under the memory of censorship, where the artists of the 60s were forced to find new ways to communicate complex meanings. As such, a lot of the art that comes from this region has been heavily influenced, and influential in, the global movement in conceptual art. Although that moment might be considered past, it does still exist in the theoretical frameworks of contemporary artists.
Adriana Varella is one perfect example of this. She’s now based in New York, although her creative consciousness was formed, one could say, when she was living and studying in Rio de Janeiro. Hotels and tourist culture are a part of the city that also runs through everything, and it’s certainly found its way into her work. She, like many of her generation, is involved in the process of interrogating identity. Her work has some self-exploration, but her complex tactics are designed to ask questions and to undermine the viewer’s expectations, so that they will wonder and reflect on who and where they are.