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, her growing prominence has led to participation in major national and international exhibitions, including the Bienal de São Paulo, as well as group shows at Tate Modern in London and MoMA in New York. 

The most recent national and international solo exhibitions that Varejão has participated in are: Adriana Varejão: Suturas, fissuras, ruínas, Pinacoteca de São Paulo, Brazil (2022); Por uma retórica canibal, MAM da Bahia, and MAMAM, Recife, Brazil (2019); and Otros Cuerpos Detrás, Museo Tamayo, Mexico City, Mexico (2018). Her group shows include Vai, vai, Saudade! Notes on Brazil, MADRE Museo, Naples, Italy (2024); Histórias Brasileiras, MASP, São Paulo, Brazil; Brasilidade Pós-Modernismo, CCBB, São Paulo, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Brazil (2022), and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2021); Bustes de Femmes: Paris 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Gagosian, Paris, France (2020); Interiorities, Haus Der Kunst, Monique, 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; Instituto Inhotim, Brazil; MAM São Paulo, Brazil; and Museu de Arte do Rio, Brazil.