Adriana Varejão’s work is defined by her research and reflection on colonialism and Brazilian identity, often drawing on references from Brazilian Baroque art and architecture, as well as Portuguese tiles. With a keen historiographical eye and a critical spirit, Varejão creates a visual body of work that intertwines Brazil’s colonial past with its lasting impact on contemporary political, artistic, and cultural history. 

Painting is the predominant medium in her practice, through which she explores diverse pictorial references. Varejão also incorporates materials such as wood, fabric, and tiles — sometimes as a nod to Portuguese tilework found in Brazil, other times referencing Chinese ceramics. Over the past few decades, she has participated in major national and international exhibitions, such as her presentation at the Brazilian Pavilion of the 61st Biennale di Venezia, Italy (2026), Bienal de São Paulo, Brazil (1994 and 1998), as well as group shows at MoMA in New York, USA (2002), and Tate Liverpool, UK (1999). 

The most recent national and international solo exhibitions that Varejão has participated in are:  Adriana Varejão: Don’t Forget, We Come from the Tropics, The Hispanic Society of America, New York, USA (2025); Adriana Varejão: histórias moldadas, Gagosian, Athens, Greece (2025); Adriana Varejão: suturas, fissuras, ruínas, Pinacoteca de São Paulo, Brazil (2022); Por uma retórica canibal, MAM Bahia, and MAMAM, Recife, Brazil (2019); Otros Cuerpos Detrás, Museo Tamayo, Mexico City, Mexico (2018); and Transbarroco, The Sowden House, Los Angeles, USA (2017);. Her group shows include Fullgás – artes visuais e anos 1980 no Brasil, CCBB, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Belo Horizonte, Brazil (2025); Vai, vai, Saudade: Notes on Brazil, Fondazione Donnaregina per le arti contemporanee – Museo Madre, Naples, Italy (2024); Histórias Brasileiras, MASP, São Paulo, Brazil (2022); Interiorities, Haus der Kunst, Munich, Germany (2019); and Nous les Arbres, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris, France (2019).  

Among other awards, Adriana Varejão has won the French Government’s Chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres Medal; the Critics Grand Prize – Visual Arts category from the APCA (Paulista Association of Art Critics, Brazil) and the Mario Pedrosa Award (contemporary language artist) from the ABCA (Brazilian Association of Art Critics). Her works are in the collections of institutions such as the MoMA, USA; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, USA; Tate Modern, UK; Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, France; Dallas Museum of Art, USA; Fundação Serralves, Portugal; Hara Museum, Japan; MASP, Brazil; Instituto Inhotim, Brazil; MAM São Paulo, Brazil; Museu de Arte do Rio, Brazil; BPD kunstcollectie, Netherlands;  S.M.A.K., Belgium, among others.