Cotton Tote Bag with Smile Sign Handpainted in Brazil, "Smile"

At first glance you will see a multi-purpose cotton tote bag with no lining, zippers or internal compartments that features an exterior faux leather pocket and cotton straps. But this is so much more than just a bag -- it is a design by Brazilian artist Solange Escosteguy, who has been making sculptures, paintings on canvas and fabrics and "wearable art" clothing since the 1960s.

The theme hand-painted on the tote bag is part of Solange's last exhibition where she featured a collection of warning signs and words with powerful meanings. "My works act as warning signs, images that make us think about current problems, the time of the pandemic, conflicts and intolerance," she says.