Paula Rego at the Marlborough Gallery

Paula Rego is one of my favorite contemporary artists. Until last week, I have only seen her works at fairs or in museums. Her pictures are so powerful and provocative I couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to see so many of them in one place. After much anticipation of her current show at the Marlborough Gallery, I was not disappointed.

Paula Rego is a storyteller. Drawing inspiration from fairy tales and literature, her works have an illustrative quality to them. As a viewer, you feel like you are sneaking a peak at a particular moment in the narrative. Her most recent show consists of 12 large pastels (including three triptychs) along with some smaller lithographs. Moving from picture to picture in the gallery, it is easy to be overwhelmed and excited by so many compelling images in a relatively small space. Her use of pastels is the perfect match for her subjects. The works are rich, haunting, and ultimately unforgettable. Everything from the folds in the clothing to the contours of the facial features is dramatic. My favorites are The Cake Woman & The Old Republic. Make sure you go to The Marlborough Gallery to pick out your favorite before it is too late.