Trigger warning: mentions of abortion
Nearly 40 years after her first exhibition in Bristol, the pioneering artist Paula Rego has returned to the Arnolfini with Subversive Stories, a spectacular showcase of over 80 prints spanning across her remarkable career. Drawing upon influences from her childhood in Portugal, Rego explores themes of femininity, sexuality, childhood and fairy tales, told through her poetic eye for storytelling.
Whether or not the world of art is a familiar one to you, it is hard not to be absorbed by the vivid imagination of Paula Rego. The prints in the exhibition vary from subversive retellings of Peter Pan, repositioning Wendy as the protagonist, to harrowing depictions of dangerous at-home abortions. The monumental prints lining the gallery walls are an opportunity to witness Rego’s powerful and provocative inner world, an experience which will leave you with both questions and answers.
Amongst the usual surplus of poised and primed female nudes we find in our museums, this exhibition is a breath of fresh air. Liberated from the male-gaze, Rego’s etchings of women are muscular, fearless and confrontational; glaring out at the viewer with strong gazes and unapologetically commanding attention. There is something tragically rare about being in a gallery full of female subjects, particularly those crafted with such individuality and depth, and I found the experience of walking amongst the images pleasantly refreshing. Each of the characters tells a unique story, particularly seen in the pieces where Rego has subverted popular stories and fairy tales to reposition women at the centre. Her work in reframing narratives to give women the upper-hand comes from her desire to see the world through a different lens, Rego says “I’m interested in seeing things from the underdogs perspective. Usually that’s a female perspective”. When standing from afar we see recognisable figures, such as those of the Bronte sisters, posed in print. However, upon further inspection, the narratives we know from childhood begin to unravel as Rego shifts the fate of these characters through her own imaginative storytelling.
Upon seeing the range of prints in this exhibition, I became quickly aware of Rego’s desire to challenge and provoke her audience. Rego’s work is intrinsically connected to a political mission, and throughout the exhibition we see her art being used as a device to bring about change and reform in society. Growing up in Portugal under Salazar’s military dictatorship, Rego experienced first hand the heavily policed and restricted existence prescribed to women. The pieces on display have a polemical and cautionary message, no doubt emerging from her childhood tainted by severe dictatorship. After being disheartened by the incredibly low voter turnouts of Portugal’s 1988 abortion referendum, Rego felt moved to produce her iconic ‘abortion series’ on display at the exhibition. A series of large scale prints depict unflinching and provocative images of women performing dangerous at home abortions. When confronted with the images I found myself captured by the gazes of the women, where Rego has simultaneously evoked the despair and fear of the women, as well as their defiance and bravery. Tactically using print as a means of reproducing and disseminating the works on a larger scale, the widely-circulated series is largely credited as being a direct influence towards later changes in Portuguese abortion law. If you have ever questioned the ability of art to effect real change in the world, Paula Rego surely proves the direct and tangible power of visual storytelling. Viewing the series today, I found the message of the images remains just as poignant. In a world where women’s rights and bodies are constantly under threat, this series represents an ongoing appeal to our collective humanity as well as a reminder to remain vigilant in our campaign for women’s safety.
This exhibition rallies together a powerful assembly of women, equipped by Rego with the confidence and space to tell their stories. Each of the prints shows not only Rego’s extraordinary technical ability and unique visual language, but also her ever-present desire to challenge the tales we are told. Brutal, rebellious, and defiant, these artworks show us what happens when women are put in control of their own narratives. Perhaps that’s why Rego says “That’s why I’m lucky to be a woman. Because there are lots of stories, things to say that have never been said before”.
Subversive Stories is on view at the Arnolfini gallery until the 29th May.