🟢Feminism in painting. Paula Rego's exhibition in Basel.
Power games is the first Swiss retrospective dedicated to Paula Rego. Although she is one of the most acclaimed figurative artists in recent decades, the British-Portuguese artist remains largely unfamiliar to the Swiss public.
Yet, in her native Portugal, she has left a mark on people's hearts, and in 2004 was awarded one of the country's highest honors, the Order of Sant'Iago of the Sword. Furthermore, when she passed, the government declared a national day of mourning in her memory.
The exhibition opens with six self-portraits, immediately setting the tone: the visitor enters Rego's intimate world. Spanning eight rooms, each with a different theme – family, political protests, gender struggles, and feminism – each work invites profound reflection.
With an explanatory booklet, or by following their intuition, visitors encounter artworks of vibrant colors and provocative themes. Rego's art can be revolting, fascinating, and sometimes disturbing, but her work doesn't leave the visitors indifferent once they leave the exhibition.
« Paula Rego was one of the rare artists of her generation to present herself as a feminist and to be proud of it »
In rooms 8 and 9, the mood darkens. Throughout her career Rego used her art as an act of resistance, challenging the established order. These final rooms focus on violence toward women. Rego addresses the themes of illegal abortion in Portugal*, genital mutilation**, domestic violence, and positions herself against the war in Iraq. With the help of the exhibition booklet, which provides essential context, visitors can grasp the full impact of these works.
By visiting the exhibition at the Kunstmuseum in Basel, visitors immerse themselves in a bold, unapologetic and deeply feminine universe. Rego depicts women as they are: without sublimation, without idealization, but filled with strength, sensitivity, and truth.
*Abortion was legalized in Portugal in February 2007 up to 10 weeks of pregnancy. In Switzerland the right to abortion was accepted on June 2, 2002, more than 72% of the population accepted the decriminalization of abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy (swissinfo.ch)
** For more information on genital mutilation in Portugal consult: A.L. Teixeira, M. Lisboa, "Estimating the prevalence of female genital mutilation in Portugal", 2016.
Curation
The curator of this exhibition is Eva Reifert.
Since 2016 Reifert has been curator of the department of modern and 19th century art at the Kunstmuseum Basel.
Price (in CHF)
Adult: 26.- / 1st Sunday of the month: 16.-
Student (20-30 years): 13.-
Youth (13-19 years): 8.-
Child (up to 12 years): free
Basel Card: 13.-
For more details on discounts (Swiss museum pass, Raiffeisen, etc.) visit the museum website.
