Rego, Paula (1935–)

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Rego, Paula (1935–)

Portuguese artist. Born 1935 in Lisbon, Portugal; studied at Slade School of Art, 1952–56; m. Victor Willing (painter).

Moved to London (1952); lived in Portugal with husband (1957–63), where she became established as narrative artist, holding 1st solo exhibition at SNBA in Lisbon (1965); was strongly influenced in early work by Dubuffet, creating abstract, surreal collages, sometimes with political themes, but eventually moved on to more figurative work; settled permanently in London (1976); became visiting lecturer in painting at Slade School; held retrospective exhibition at Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, and Serpentine Gallery, London (1988), confirming international reputation; appointed 1st associate artist at National Gallery in London (1990) and produced mural in Sainsbury Wing of gallery (1991); held retrospective at Tate Gallery, London, and Centro Cultural de Belém, Lisbon (1997); uses printmaking, collage, painting, sketching and etching.

See also Paula Rego-The Complete Graphic Work (2003); John McEwen, Paula Rego (1993); Fiona Bradley, Paula Rego (Tate, 2002).