“Visit to the plastic surgeon” is a symbolic painting created by Remedios Varo in 1960. The artwork belongs to the metaphysical art movement, which often features a sense of enigmatic significance behind the representation of ordinary objects and figures. Varo’s work is characterized by its symbolic and dream-like quality, often exploring themes of the subconscious, mysticism, and the condition of women in society.
The artwork depicts a surreal and somewhat disturbing scene, set within the confines of what appears to be a shadowy, arch-shaped structure reminiscent of a church or a gothic building. At one side of the structure, there is a niche containing a stylized female figure, which radiates a soft, ethereal glow. Her body is segmented into compartments which are lined with a thin, filament-like substance that connects them, giving the figure a mannequin-like or anatomical model appearance. Above her, there is a sign that reads “CLÍNICA PLASTOURGENCIA,” suggesting a facility for emergency plastic surgery.
Opposite the female figure, a second figure, which appears to be an elderly woman, is shown existing within the confines of a similar arch-shaped space. She reaches out with a beseeching gesture towards the segmented female form. The elderly woman’s posture and expression convey a sense of longing or desperation, perhaps reflecting societal pressures relating to beauty and youth. The walls around these figures are adorned with writing that further emphasizes themes related to physical appearance and possibly the transformation of the body.
The overall tone of the artwork is one of eerie contemplation, inviting viewers to reflect upon the implications of altering one’s physical form, the pursuit of an idealized beauty, and the deeper psychological effects such pursuits might have. The use of archways and gothic elements adds to the mystique of the scene, insinuating a religious or spiritual undercurrent to the narrative of the artwork. Remedios Varo’s “Visit to the plastic surgeon” thus stands as a thought-provoking piece, rich in symbolic meanings and metaphysical allusions.
