Mixed media on paper, 88 × 93cm
Portugese-born artist Joana Galego’s images are informed by – in her words – ‘memories and feelings rather than actual events’. Firmly rooted in drawing, her paintings and works on paper are characterised by a vibrant palette and a visual language partly inspired by historical artists.
This large-scale, mixed media work is part of ‘Hiding Behind Gifts’, a new collection of works on paper by the artist. Complex and multi-layered, it combines drawn, painted and collaged components often made in different places at different times. With its intense blue palette, ‘After the Spectacle’ is rich with the emotion that runs through all of Joana’s works. She describes it as ‘the most detached one of the group, suggesting an invisible wall between the individual and the crowd. The theatricality of it again, as if a performance had just finished, and she was the dancer or the singer.’
This work was framed in maple by The Framing Room, London, behind anti-reflective, 70% UV resistant glass.
Joana graduated from the University of Lisbon in 2016 and subsequently moved to London to attend the Royal Drawing School between 2016 and 2017. Her work has been awarded prizes including The Sir Denis Mahon Award from the Royal Drawing School (2017) and she has undertaken several artistic residencies internationally.
Oliver Projects first exhibited Joana’s work in our 2023 group exhibition ‘Power Play’. A solo exhibition followed in Lisbon at Galeria Belard in spring 2024 and Soho Revue, London, presented a joint exhibition of work by Joana alongside Alice Macdonald in December 2024. Most recently, Joana’s work was included in ‘Monotypes’ at Messums, London; a solo exhibition was also presented by Isabel Sullivan Gallery in New York, USA in 2025. Joana currently lives and works in south east London.
Mixed media on paper, 88 × 93cm
Portugese-born artist Joana Galego’s images are informed by – in her words – ‘memories and feelings rather than actual events’. Firmly rooted in drawing, her paintings and works on paper are characterised by a vibrant palette and a visual language partly inspired by historical artists.
This large-scale, mixed media work is part of ‘Hiding Behind Gifts’, a new collection of works on paper by the artist. Complex and multi-layered, it combines drawn, painted and collaged components often made in different places at different times. With its intense blue palette, ‘After the Spectacle’ is rich with the emotion that runs through all of Joana’s works. She describes it as ‘the most detached one of the group, suggesting an invisible wall between the individual and the crowd. The theatricality of it again, as if a performance had just finished, and she was the dancer or the singer.’
This work was framed in maple by The Framing Room, London, behind anti-reflective, 70% UV resistant glass.
Joana graduated from the University of Lisbon in 2016 and subsequently moved to London to attend the Royal Drawing School between 2016 and 2017. Her work has been awarded prizes including The Sir Denis Mahon Award from the Royal Drawing School (2017) and she has undertaken several artistic residencies internationally.
Oliver Projects first exhibited Joana’s work in our 2023 group exhibition ‘Power Play’. A solo exhibition followed in Lisbon at Galeria Belard in spring 2024 and Soho Revue, London, presented a joint exhibition of work by Joana alongside Alice Macdonald in December 2024. Most recently, Joana’s work was included in ‘Monotypes’ at Messums, London; a solo exhibition was also presented by Isabel Sullivan Gallery in New York, USA in 2025. Joana currently lives and works in south east London.
