Above is an example of a painting in progress by Ana Pallares: full of humour, dynamic colour contrasts and an immediate address to the viewer. I came across it as Ana was about to take a break from working on the painting, in the quiet of the basement exhibition space. (scroll down for more)
I told Ana that I often like work at an early stage, as it can have the vigor of the first impression evoked by a sketch. And when we look at her work (www.instagram.com/anapallaresart) we not only engage with the characters she has painted, who look at us directly, but as a result, we are also engaged to look at ourselves and to consider our attitude to that character in the painting, in this particular case, a rat.
Text is a fundamental part of Ana’s work, and here it is also evident that the painter Jean-Michel Basquiat and his work are a significant source of inspiration, but not in any simple imitative way - a provocative and individual sense of humour is key in the lively and energetic paintings of Ana Pallares.
As well as presenting a wide spectrum of new work in the visual arts, the Hundred Years Gallery hosts a lively programme of improvised and composed music, films, discussions, photography, together with a convivial café.