Page 63 - Art de Andalucia

The 1998 referendum to decriminalize abortion in Portugal failed due to low turnout. Visual artist Paula Rego was outraged and wanted to make visible
the unnecessary suffering caused by abortions women were forced
to undergo illegally.
Rego made a series of ten pastels
of women and young girls
in the aftermath of illegal procedures. She wanted to present women alone
and in pain, but stoic and brave.
She felt the stark formalism of these works was crucial to their success. Rego was proud to see her work used in the campaign leading up to a second referendum in 2007,
which successfully legalized abortion in Portugal.
Paula Rego died June 8, 2022 at the age of 87.