In 1976 Duarte starts living in Porto Alegre, devoting herself to tapestry, with which she would make a living until 1982. It is not until 1981 - when she settles down in Montevideo- that she completely devotes to painting. Her fist exhibition as a painter was "Rituales, mitos, espejos y mentiras" (Rites, myths, mirrors and lies), which is interpreted as a work criticizing conventionalism and woman’s roles in Latin America.

Her individual exhibitions include: 2004 "Las manos limpias" (Clean Hands), Cabildo de Montevideo; 2002 "Territorios" (Territories), Instituto Goethe,"87 cajas" (87 boxes), Dodecá Cultural Centre; 2001 "Espacio limitado" (Limited Space), Dodecá Cultural Centre; 1997 "Hecha la ley, hecha la trampa" (Law passed, trap set). Engelman-Ost Collection Montevideo; 1996, Museo de Arte Contemporánea do Río Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brasil.

Her collective exhibitions include: 2004 Pertenencias" (Belongings), Centro Cultural del MEC Centro Municipal de Exposiciones; 2003 "A 30 años del Golpe de Estado, Cabildo de Montevideo. (30 years after the coup d’etat); "Palabras silenciosas" (Silent words) Instituto Goethe, Montevideo; 2002 Premio Figari (Figari Prize), Banco Central del Uruguay, Montevideo; 2001 "7a. Bienal de Pintura" (7th. Painting Bienal) Cuenca, Ecuador. Her most recent exhibition includes her inclusion to the 2005 Venice Biennial where she represented Uruguay.

In this interview from 2005, writer Anamaría Forteza talks to Duarte about her recent work and her interest in rituals and sculptural work.