Adriana Varejão's Polvo Project Explores Skin Color Diversity Through Conceptual Art
Adriana Varejão’s project, Polvo, which she started in the 1990s, dives into the vast spectrum of human skin tones and pushes back against traditional racial categories. This idea was sparked by a 1976 census by IBGE, where Brazilians used 136 distinct color names, like "branca melada" and "queimada de praia," rather than the usual five. Known for intertwining historical and political themes in her art, Varejão created oil paints in mixed-race shades instead of just pink. Polvo led to three exhibitions: London’s Victoria Miro Gallery in 2013, São Paulo in 2014, and New York, as well as a co-authored book with Lilia Moritz Schwarcz named "Pérola Imperfeita." Her work features geometric designs on realistic portraits, reflecting fluid racial identities.
Key facts
- Adriana Varejão's Polvo project began in the 1990s.
- Inspiration came from a 1976 IBGE census listing 136 self-declared skin colors.
- The project critiques Brazil's five official racial color categories.
- Polvo includes three exhibitions in London (2013), São Paulo (2014), and New York.
- A book co-authored with Lilia Moritz Schwarcz accompanies the project.
- Varejão created custom oil paints in mixed-race skin tones.
- Portraits feature geometric interventions referencing indigenous painting.
- The artist views color as a fundamental language beyond race.
Entities
Artists
- Adriana Varejão
- Lilia Moritz Schwarcz
- Ana Moura
- Adriano Pedrosa
- Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro
- Goya
- Rembrandt
- Caravaggio
- Chaïm Soutine
- Francis Bacon
- Géricault
- André Rebouças
- Montez Magno
- Mari Ra
- Zé di Cabeça
- Fabio Miguez
- Adenor Gondim
- Luciano Feijão
- Júlio Bittencourt
- Marlene Barros
- Claudia Alarcón
- Deborah Paiva
- Nuno Ramos
- Marcos Amaro
- Lázaro Roberto
- Ivald Granato
- Felipe Rezende
- Andrea Brazil
- Flavia Renault
- Belony Ferreira
- Mestre Didi
- Paulo Pedro Leal
- Anna Atkins
- Elizabeth B. Brownell
- Eslanda Cardozo Goode Robeson
- Annette Messager
- Angèle Etoundi Essamba
- Hiromix
- Claudia Andujar
- Maureen Bisilliat
- Gretta Sarfaty
- Vilma Slomp
- Claudia Jaguaribe
- Anna Mariani
- Stefania Bril
- Thalita Hamaoui
- Rogério Medeiros
- Rafael Hayashi
- Georg Heinrich von Langsdorff
- Ludwig Riedel
- Néster Rubtsov
- Aimé-Adrien Taunay
- Hercule Florence
- Wilhelmine von Langsdorff
- Francisco Brennand
- José Cláudio
- Alberto Henschel
Institutions
- IBGE
- Galeria Victoria Miro
- Fortes Vilaça
- Lehmann Maupin
- ARTE!Brasileiros
- Editora Cobogó
- Galeria Galatea Salvador
- Nara Roesler
- Museu de Arte do Espírito Santo (MAES)
- Movimento Grevista Negro
- Sesc Sorocaba
- CAIXA Cultural São Paulo
- Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil Belo Horizonte (CCBB BH)
- MASP
- Janaina Torres Galeria
- FAMA Museu
- IMS - Instituto Moreira Salles
- 10x10 Photobooks
- Biblioteca de Fotografia do IMS
- Getty Research Institute
- Museo Reina Sofía
- Rijksmuseum
- New York Public Library
- Paris Photo
- Livraria da Travessa
- DAN Galeria
- Casa de Cultura do Parque
- Biblioteca Brasiliana Guita e José Mindlin - USP
- Instituto Hercule Florence
- Documenta Pantanal
- Centro Maria Antônia da USP
- Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)
- Galeria Nara Roesler - SP
- Fonte
- Carmo Johnson Projects
- Itaú Cultural
- Ilê Asipá
- Pina Luz
- Centro de Pesquisa e Formação do Sesc
- Phi Projetos
- Cinnamon
- Funcultura
- Política Nacional Aldir Blanc (PNAB)
- Ministério da Cultura (MINC)
- Secretaria da Cultura (Secultes)
- Midiateca Capixaba
- Governo do Estado
- Instituto de Cultura Contemporânea (ICCo)
- Lei Rouanet
- banco BV
- Laranjinha
- Banco Itaú
- Império Russo
- Coleção Jorge M. Pérez
- El Espacio 23
Locations
- Londres
- Reino Unido
- São Paulo
- Brasil
- Nova York
- Estados Unidos
- Salvador
- Bahia
- Recife
- Pernambuco
- Olinda
- Vitória
- Espírito Santo
- Sorocaba
- Belo Horizonte
- Minas Gerais
- Itu
- Porto Feliz
- Mato Grosso
- Grão-Pará
- Amazônia
- Pantanal
- Argentina
- Paraguai
- Gran Chaco
- La Puntana
- Holanda
- Portugal
- Aveiro
- Santiago
- China
- Mumbai
- Índia
- Pequim
- Jacarta
- Indonésia
- Tóquio
- Japão
- Algarve
- Santo Antônio da Patrulha
- Rio Grande do Sul
- Rio de Janeiro
- Los Angeles
- Madri
- Espanha
- Amsterdã
- Países Baixos
- Miami
- Campo Grande
- Mato Grosso do Sul
- Ilha de Itaparica
- Recôncavo Baiano
- Fortaleza
- Ceará
- Cameroon
- França