The artwork titled “Exploring River of The Source Orinonoco” is a creation by Remedios Varo, an artist renowned for her involvement in the Surrealism movement. This symbolic painting captures the essence of the movement through its dream-like imagery and evocation of deep psychological allegory.
In this complex and intriguing composition, we can observe a figure seated within a boat or vessel that is reminiscent of a giant seed pod, navigating through a river that is unclear yet paradoxically reflective like a mirror. The boat possesses a rich, warm red color that stands out against the muted earth tones of the surrounding elements. Intriguingly, the river does not rest upon the ground but rather seems to be suspended in air amidst an array of towering tree trunks, which are devoid of foliage and bear gaping doorways, indicating entryways into the unknown. Above, a strange, pink, crane-like creature with an elongated neck flies through the surreal landscape.
The occupant of the boat is garbed in attire that suggests a fusion of modernity and otherworldliness, with a stoic, contemplative expression, engaged in the act of sewing or knitting, a task often related to creating or mending but which here could carry symbolic overtones of weaving one’s path or destiny. The elements of the scene are steeped in symbolism, with the juxtaposition of nature and a man-made aquatic craft, possibly probing the relationship between humanity and the natural world as well as inner exploration. The atmosphere is one of stillness and introspection, invoking a sense of inward journey and contemplation, which are signature themes in the surrealist genre to which Varo’s work belongs.
