Overview
Focusing on her drawing practice, Paula Rego explored darker and more complex themes than ever before. A major catalyst for this period was the connection she found in the work of writer and director Martin McDonagh, whose short stories Rego used as an inspiration to create a series of prints.
The playwright’s stories became a channel for Rego to feed her own personal history. The dark, sometimes grotesque, violent, and often tender stories by McDonagh, alongside other tales, saw her embrace narratives that she layered with memories from her childhood in Portugal and later adult life.
Over forty works, several which will be unveiled for the first time, will be exhibited alongside a recreation of Rego’s studio, showcasing the dolls, creatures and objects she made to draw from. This exhibition, a collaboration between The Estate of Paula Rego and Cristea Roberts Gallery, will be open until 17 January 2026.
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