Review by: Marilyn Millstone

Step inside the gold-and-marble grandeur of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA), and you'll find on view the remarkable surrealist paintings of Spanish artist Remedios Varo.

Varo, who was born in 1908 and died of a heart attack at age 55, devoted herself to painting only in the last decade of her life. Seventy-seven of her most famous works are on display at NMWA, many for the first time ever in the U.S.

The exhibit is aptly entitled "The Magic of Remedios Varo," for the word magic conjures an aura of whimsy, unpredictability and a bit of spookiness. Varo's paintings deliver exactly that: images, juxtapositions and allusions so fantastic and haunting that audiences have been entranced by them since her first one-woman show was held in Mexico in 1956.

Passionately interested in the sciences, the occult and the place of women in the world, Varo uses a wide array of subject matter in her work. Sometimes, she depicts women in traditional roles like weaving, though, characteristically, her depiction veers toward the fantastical. In "Weaver of Verona," an ashen woman seated in a dim room knits what is perhaps her alter-ego -- a winged woman in a bold red dress who is flying toward the light of the open window, her face turned enigmatically toward the viewer. In another piece called "Weaving of Space and Time," Varo interprets in delicate, swirling strokes the meaning of Einstein's theory of relativity.

The exhibit elicits a lot of "oohs" and "ahs" from viewers. "I've been to most of the famous art museums in the world, and I've never seen one of her works, or even heard of her," said one young Hispanic woman visiting the exhibit. "She's just wonderful."

Thematically complex and technically superb, Varo's challenging paintings take time to fully absorb and appreciate. You'll want to give yourself at least a full hour to experience the richness of the exhibit. A word of advice: be sure to follow from the beginning of the exhibit the beautifully written text panels offering insights that will enhance your understanding of Varo's work.

"The Magic of Remedios Varo" runs through May 29. The National Museum of Women in the Arts is located at 1250 New York Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20005, and is open Monday through Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 12-5. Admission is free; donations are requested.