Self-taught Spanish painter Coco Dávez brings a pop of colour to Maddox Gallery with her solo exhibition of portraits
Maddox Gallery is showcasing Partners in Time, a solo exhibition by Coco Dávez, otherwise known as Valeria Palmeiro, a self-taught painter, illustrator and photographer known for her bold and colourful designs marrying abstraction and figuration together. With a focus on legendary celebrities and fictional duos, ranging from lovers to rivals, this exhibition brings iconic figures to life through her engaging graphic Pop Art style.
Partners in Time is the first time Dávez has portrayed pairs in her signature faceless style, rather than individual portraits. Musician Freddie Mercury is twinned with David Bowie; Andy Warhol with his fellow artist Jean-Michel Basquiat; US President JFK with his wife Jackie Kennedy; and fashion designer Vivienne Westwood with Malcolm McLaren, as well as the dynamic duo Batman and Robin.
Warhol & Basquiat, 2023
Warhol & Basquiat, 2023
Maeve Doyle, the artistic director of Maddox Gallery said when commenting on the pairing of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren that:
‘Vivienne Westwood played a significant role in shaping punk’s legacy, as did Malcolm McLaren; the pair worked side by side, despite them being very different. When the relationship between two people is complicated, the tension between them makes them more interesting.’
When creating her celebrity portraits Dávez depicts distinguishing features, such as hairstyles, clothing and accessories that are central to their renowned personas and interprets her figures through vivid colours and bold shapes. She is one of the greatest 21st-century inheritors of the Pop Art tradition with her choice of celebrity subjects and block colours. There is symbolism in Dávez’s work though her use of colours, for example, the red, white and blue in the JFK and Jackie portraits, nodding to the colours of the American flag.
Thelma & Louise, 2023
Thelma & Louise, 2023
‘I paired people who mean something to me personally, and who I associate together in my mind,’ Dávez explained. ‘With my choice of colours, I strive to find a mix that reveals a sense of the subject’s character.’ The artist’s decision to paint figures that remain faceless has been open to various interpretations. Some see it as celebratory, while others regard it as a social commentary on our obsession with celebrity culture.
Coco Dávez stood between two of her portraits of famous silhouettes, which invite viewers to play a game of Guess Who?
Partners in Time ‘invites the viewer to play a game of Guess Who?, questioning the role of traditional relationships and exploring the importance of certain people in our lives – who stimulate us and complete us,’ according to Doyle.
This exhibition is on at Maddox Gallery, 112 Westbourne Grove, London W2 5RU until 23 April 2023
