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Adriana Varejão — Tela sobre pratos
Adriana Varejão

Tela sobre pratos

1999

This mixed media installation combines a patchwork canvas featuring alternating squares of blue and white patterned fabric with terracotta tones, mounted above a row of five ceramic plates stacked horizontally at its base. The composition merges painting with sculptural ceramics, creating a dialogue between traditional Portuguese blue and white tilework patterns and domestic tableware. The work explores themes of cultural identity, craftsmanship, and the relationship between fine art and everyday objects. Created in 1999, this piece exemplifies the artist's characteristic approach to deconstructing and recontextualizing Portuguese artistic traditions.

Medium
oil on canvas with 121 plates
Overall
Location
Sotheby's, New York, NY

Notes

Contemporary Day Auction, Sotheby's, sale on 2026-05-15.

🔨 Auction Lot

Contemporary Day Auction

May 15, 2026

Estimate: $80,000 to $120,000

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About this work

Adriana Varejão, Tela sobre pratos, 1999

This mixed media installation combines a patchwork canvas featuring alternating squares of blue and white patterned fabric with terracotta tones, mounted above a row of five ceramic plates stacked horizontally at its base. The composition merges painting with sculptural ceramics, creating a dialogue between traditional Portuguese blue and white tilework patterns and domestic tableware. The work explores themes of cultural identity, craftsmanship, and the relationship between fine art and everyday objects. Created in 1999, this piece exemplifies the artist's characteristic approach to deconstructing and recontextualizing Portuguese artistic traditions.

Medium
oil on canvas with 121 plates
Dimensions
overall: 149.2 x 179.1 cm
Year
1999
Seen at
Sotheby's, New York, London, Hong Kong, Paris

Related themes

Ceramic Plates, Blue White Patterning, Mixed Media Installation, Domestic Objects, Tile Tradition, Late 20th Century, Contemporary Portuguese Art, Tableware Art, Canvas Patchwork, Cultural Identity

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