Cybèle Varela e Regina Vater: a produção visual de mulheres e a ditadura militar no Brasil

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the visual production of artists Cybèle Varela and Regina Vater during the Brazilian military dictatorship (1964–1985), analyzing how their works functioned as forms of political resistance and social critique. Based on the repressive context established by the regime, the study examines artistic censorship, the marginalization of women in the art system, and the challenges faced by politically engaged artists. The research also situates Varela's and Vater's trajectories within the Nova Figuração movement and other conceptual trends, highlighting their use of mass culture imagery, subversive narrative strategies, and the body as an instrument of protest. Furthermore, the dissertation establishes a dialogue between art and feminism in Brazil, exploring how these artists challenged representations of femininity and questioned imposed norms. By recovering their contributions, this study seeks to broaden the debate on women's participation in political art in Brazil, emphasizing the relevance of their work to art history and to the understanding of the role of art in authoritarian contexts.