PAULA REGO: Visions of English Literature

26 September - 21 November 2026

A Hayward Gallery Touring Exhibition from Southbank Centre, London

Paula Rego: Visions of English Literature will present three of the artist’s most ambitious series of graphic works; Jane Eyre, Nursery Rhymes and Peter Pan. Each series will be accompanied by a variety of personal items from the artist, many of which have never been publicly displayed before.
Unseen preparatory sketches, etching plates and Rego’s very own childhood copy of Peter Pan will offer audiences an intimate portrayal of the artist’s lifelong fascination with literature and an insight into how the artist transformed this material into startlingly original, rebellious and unexpected images.

image Three Blind Mice II © Ostrich Arts Ltd | Paula Rego Estate 
Courtesy Ostrich Arts Ltd and Cristea Roberts Gallery

Rego Events

UNVEILED EVENTS

LAUNCH EVENT

Friday 25 September, 6pm - 8pm

ALL WELCOME

Join us for the opening evening of this ambitious exhibition celebrating startling original and rebellious art of Paula Rego

Paula Rego: Printmaker

A talk with Paul Coldwell 

Thursday 22 October, 6.30pm - 8pm

£5.00 per ticket

Paul Coldwell worked with Paula Rego on all her etchings between 1987-2006 including the Nursery Rhymes, Peter Pan and the Abortion prints and continued their friendship until her passing in 2022. This illustrated talk focuses on the role of printmaking within Rego’s overall practice and offers a unique insight, gleaned from such a close working relationship, into how these prints came into being. The talk will explore broad themes around Rego’s prints including, her relationship to graphic traditions, her changing working methods and the importance she placed on her prints.

Paula Rego: Secrets and Stories

ADDITIONAL DATE ADDED!

Film showing : FREE but booking required

Thursday 12 November

PLUS

Thursday 19th November

6.30pm- 8pm, 18+

A unique insight into the life and work of celebrated painter Paula Rego directed by her son, the film maker Nick Willing.  Notoriously private and guarded, Rego opens up for the first time surprising her son with secrets and stories of her unique life, battling fascism, a misogynistic art world and manic depression.

Paula Rego: Making a Mark

From Cristea Roberts Gallery, a podcast exploring artists' approach to drawing and printmaking.

Listen in on an episode of Making a Mark, a podcast by Cristea Roberts Gallery, that explores the graphic work of Dame Paula Rego RA (1935 - 2022), one of the most important figurative artists of her generation, who placed women’s lives and stories at the centre of her work.
Curator and Associate Director at Cristea Roberts Gallery, Sophie Lindo, discusses Rego’s profound and ground-breaking body of work. We hear from Rego, who made prints for over 50 years; her son, filmmaker Nick Willing; writer Marina Warner; poet Blake Morrison, whose 1996 Pendle Witches poetry collection inspired a
powerful series of prints by the artist, and Professor Paul Coldwell, a master printmaker who worked with Rego over a period of 20 years.

Podcast courtesy of the Cristea Roberts Gallery www.cristearoberts.com  

Image Credits 

© Ostrich Arts Ltd | Paula Rego Estate 
Courtesy Ostrich Arts Ltd and Cristea Roberts Gallery
The Nursery Rhymes, 1989: 
Jack and Jill, 1989
Three Blind Mice II, 1989
Hey diddle diddle, 1989
Wendy sewing on Peter's Shadow, 1992

Mr Rochester, 2002
 

UNVEILED VOLUNTEERING

If you are passionate about art and enjoy engaging with people we are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to be involved with the Paula Rego exhibition' 

UNVEILED VISITING

To make sure that people of all ages are able to enjoy the Rugby Collection, we’ve invited local schools to come along and enjoy the exhibition. Please be aware that during school visits, the gallery will possibly be busier and noisier than usual. 

Thank you for your understanding.

Dates are as follows 
Wednesday 11 March 10-11.15am
Wednesday 11 March 12.30-1.45pm
Friday 13 March 10-11.15am
Friday 13 March 12.30-1.45pm
Wednesday 18 March 10-10.45am
Wednesday 18 March 12.30-1.45pm
Friday 20 March 10-11.15am
Wednesday 25 March 10-10.45am
Friday 27 March 10-11.15am
Friday 27 March 12.30-1.45pm
Wednesday 15 April 1.15-2.45pm
Tuesday 28 April 11.45am-12.45pm