The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of May 31, 2026

A circular sheet of fibrous, cream-colored paper features deckled, irregular edges. Centered on the matte surface is a horizontal application of translucent, golden-yellow beeswax, creating a glossy relief. A singular, thick vertical line of wax descends from the right, while delicate, thin drips pend from the left. The composition emphasizes the material interplay between the fluid, solidified medium and the textured, organic substrate.

Untitled (Abstract)

c. 2000

Valeska Soares

(Brazilian, 1957-)
Brazil
beeswax on paper
Sheet: 49.1 x 49.1 cm (19 5/16 x 19 5/16 in.); Matted: 60.5 x 57.1 x 1.9 cm (23 13/16 x 22 1/2 x 3/4 in.); Frame: 61.8 x 60 x 5.9 cm (24 5/16 x 23 5/8 x 2 5/16 in.); Diameter: 49 cm (19 5/16 in.)
Gift in Memory of Toby Devan Lewis 2024.90
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

Valeska Soares has worked with unusual materials including antique books and perfume bottles.

Description

Valeska Soares originally trained as an architect during the late 1980s before beginning an artistic practice that involved combining unusual, often tactile and ephemeral materials. In this untitled drawing, Soares drew using thick beeswax on paper as part of a series that she completed using this medium around 2000. The project aligned with her interest in developing new ways to work with paper, such as tearing and sculpting.
  • Toby Devan Lewis [1934–2022], Cleveland, OH
    2022–24
    Estate of Toby Devan Lewis, Cleveland, OH
    2024
    Adam Joseph Lewis, Ivy Beth Lewis, and Mark C. Lewis, given to The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
    September 9, 2024–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • {{cite web|title=Untitled (Abstract)|url=false|author=Valeska Soares|year=c. 2000|access-date=31 May 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2024.90