Paula Rego: Dissecting Psychology

Paula Rego - The Dance - 1988 - Acrylic paint on paper on canvas - 2280 × 2890 × 80 mm - Tate, London (click photo for larger image)Portuguese-born British painter Paula Rego (born 1935) is a contemporary artist particularly known for her paintings and prints based on storybooks. Rego’s style has evolved from abstract towards representational, and her work often reflects “feminism, colored by folk-themes from her native Portugal”.

“In Paula Rego's impressive oeuvre the contradictions of humanity are fully exposed; fantasy and reality, strength and suppression, and the personal and the political all writhe together in circling dialogue.”

The Dance (featured here) 1988 is a scene on a moon-lit beach. The work has a dream-like quality, heightened by its night-time setting, the lengthy shadows cast by the figures, and by Rego’s unusual use of scale, with the woman on her own appearing to be much larger than the figures alongside her.

Rego's work continues to challenge political narratives and to explore contemporary issues particularly those affecting women. Art critic Robert Hughes referred to her as "the best painter of women's experiences alive today." Rego lives in Hampstead, North London, and travels regularly to her studio in Kentish Town. Nevertheless, she remains an incredibly important cultural figure in her native Portugal, where she is considered to be one of the nation's most famous and influential artists.