‘mole lunar sinal’

Joana Galego

5th of July - 29th of July 2023

Within these works, Joana explores the emotional vicissitudes of relationships, focusing particularly on power, vulnerability, miscommunication, loneliness, guilt and the desire for connection and intimacy. The title is comprised of three words in three different languages which are dear to Joana, speaking to the poeticism and ambiguity of her work, as well the necessity for an open dialogue between viewer and painting. ‘Mole, Lunar, Sinal’ also points to the importance of communication and translation as a theme in her paintings.

The choice of words speak respectively to the different elements of Joana’s practice. ‘Sinal,’ whilst meaning a ‘sign’ or ‘warning’ in Portuguese, also refers to the sense of mysticism within the paintings. ‘Lunar’ is correspondingly a simultaneous Spanish reference to the moon and to human skin, which brings us to ‘Mole’ not only speaking to the sense of touch that is so important in her paintings, but also implying birthmarks, legacy and universal love. Much like the works themselves, the word game that constitutes the title of the exhibition encourages a multiplicity of readings and echoes the theme of communication that is so central to this body of work.

The works in the exhibition range from small, intimate portals to a world beyond the canvases to large scale, immersive tableaux depicting figures resting, playing, embracing or hiding. The collection is shrouded in a dreamlike veil in which the images are likened to memories through their colours and texture. The ephemerality of her scenes, in which we see quiet moments of tenderness, sadness and play, is conjured through her inky yet richly coloured style, in which moments of fuzzy abstraction are clarified with finely rendered moments, such as a bowl of noodles, a face or the delicate plastic casing of a box of grapes. The works on display show Galego’s mastery of multiple media and include print, paintings, collage and drawings