The family life and exuberant jungle-like backgrounds are in fact idealized versions of some remote, unspecified reality. The characters and objects – such as generic white plastic chairs and controversial furs – are brought into a tension-fraught dialogue. This ironic style of narrative is typical of Varelas, whose imaginative art often addresses social issues in a subtle yet playful way. Varelas is never coy to question prevailing social norms, which he does in his own distinctively expressive, surreal and naïvist style.
Varelas works across the mediums of painting, collage, sculpture, video art, and performance. His work is found in prominent private and institutional collections among which are the Saatchi Collection, London; the Dakis Joannou Collection, Athens; the Irene Panagopoulos Collection, Athens; the Zabludowicz Collection, London; The Onassis Foundation Collection, New York; The Hort Family Collection, New York; the Gilbert and Doreen Bassin Collection, New York; the Oliver Frankel and Carole Server Collection, New York; Lenikus Collection, Vienna; Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki and Belvedere Museum, Vienna.
Gallery name: Galerie Forsblom Helsinki
Address: Yrjönkatu 22, Helsinki
Opening hours: Tue-Fri 11:00 - 18:00, Sat-Sun 12:00 - 16:00
Open: 18.09.2020 - 18.10.2020