I mostly draw and paint, in this order. My starting point are usually strong personal experiences that are difficult to translate into words. Surprise and mystery are important, both in the process of making artworks and in the connection that is forged with those who see them – I keep trying to transform the surface of paper or canvas into a portal or a simulator that could activate feelings. I look for images that deeply engage the senses – through color, shape and texture – as well as the mind, and, for lack of a better word, the spirit. I'm interested in creating works of art that pose questions rather than making statements. Those questions are many times about human relationships, language, wanting to understand the ‘other’ and being afraid of doing so. I used to think that I wanted to create art that could move the viewer inwardly, like receiving a punch in the stomach or feeling a knot on your throat; but recently I've realized that I'd like my paintings to also be a source of consolation.
Joana Galego (b. 1994) is a Portuguese artist from Cascais. She has a degree in Painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon (2016) and a postgraduate degree in Drawing from the Royal Drawing School in London (2018). She took part in the RÉSVÉS Artist Residencies (Alte, 2015; Mértola, 2016) and Drawing Marathon (Rhode Island School of Design, 2017). She regularly presents her work in group exhibitions in Portugal and abroad, such as: There's a Real World Outside (AHWNN Gallery, Ostend, 2022); What I See I Will Never Tell (Wilder Gallery, London, 2021); The Best of The Drawing Year (Christie's, London, 2017); Prémio Paula Rego (Casa das Histórias, 2016); among others. Individual exhibitions include Jardins (Belard Gallery, Lisbon, 2024); spring and all (Royal Drawing School, 2019); and Lugar indeciso (Museu das Artes de Sintra, 2016). He received the Sir Denis Mahon Award in 2017 and has been a member of the Lewisham Arthouse since 2020.