Premonition 1953

Remedios Varo painted "Premonition," an enigmatic scene, rich with the symbolic language of alchemy and the occult, though its date is unknown. At its heart lie the figures draped in white robes, their forms elongated and ethereal, pulled by the threads connected to the mechanical contraptions looming overhead. These threads, like the threads of fate spun by the Greek Moirai, suggest a preordained path. We see a visual echo of these threads in classical and renaissance art. Think of how they're used to depict connections between celestial bodies and human destiny. Here, however, the threads are not spun by gods, but by cold, impersonal machinery, reflecting an anxiety about technology's control over human destiny. The alchemical symbolism embedded within the towers and the machinery evokes not just transformation, but also control. The alchemist’s quest was one of spiritual purification as well as material transmutation. The checkered floor is reminiscent of the Masons and their lodgings. Varo invites us to consider the tension between free will and determinism. In its intricate symbolism and unsettling imagery, this artwork engages with collective memory, tapping into deep-seated fears and aspirations about the nature of existence itself, and the hidden forces that shape our lives.