“Homo rodans,” a symbolic painting by artist Remedios Varo, was created in the year 1959. This artwork aligns with the Surrealism art movement, a period characterized by a desire to unleash the creative potential of the unconscious mind. Surrealists often employed illogical, dream-like imagery and the juxtaposition of incongruous elements to express this philosophical approach.
The artwork depicts a fantastical bicycle-like invention that appears as a singular unicycle with a wheel composed of a peculiar and delicate skeletal structure. Centered within this structure is a softer, organically shaped hub that seems both mechanical and alive. The singular wheel is connected by bone-like rods to a formation above that resembles a spine leading to a skull situated at the top. From this skull emerges a fluid, possibly metaphysical essence, which trails off into the surrounding space, indicating motion or the progression of thought and spirit.
The background of the artwork is abstract, with warm, earthy hues that seem to meld in a celestial manner, creating an aura around the central figure. The overall impression is one of deep symbolism, perhaps exploring themes of existence, the relationship between the mechanical and the organic, and the transcendental voyage through life or consciousness. Remedios Varo’s mastery of her craft is evident in the meticulous details, ethereal color palette, and the poetic fusion of seemingly disparate elements into a coherent whole that provokes contemplation and wonder.
