Paula Nadal - Poolside
Something rather interesting happens when you scroll through the latest season from any fashion catalog, at least for me. Eventually the faces of all the models blur. All those young, pretty people with 0% body fat collectively recede into the background, letting the clothes take centre stage. To sell fashion, that’s exactly how it should be. But what about art?
Poolside, the debut solo show from self taught artist Paula Nadal, presents eight large portraits, all similarly composed and hung in a row. It took me a while to notice they’re not all the same model, though some of them make repeat appearances, because I was initially focussed on the fashion. There’s a cool cowgirl. A Thelma & Louise style pair. One looks to have come straight out of Grand Theft Auto, wearing nothing but her sunglasses.
The outfits are so distinct, their ability to convey an attitude so effective, that these aren’t portraits so much as giant-sized fashion flash cards one might use as packing inspiration prior to a holiday. Exotic hotels are great places to pretend you’re someone else, and even men fall foul of splashing out on a flashy shirt for early evening, poolside aperitifs.
The faces are generally expressionless. Betraying no emotion, enabling their clothes and accessories to draw your eyes. It’s unsurprising considering Nadal’s day job is running her eponymous independent fashion brand. I’m told some of the sitters are friends while others are made up. It seems irrelevant which is which. As in life, the only way to know more about each mysterious character is to look past the fashion.
Each portrait has a paired postcard, written with clues to the silly, sexy and sometimes surreal shenanigans happening in the background. Frequently set poolside with mountainous backgrounds, skinny dippers and skimpy bikinis mingle with sharp dressed staff. Bold squirrels chase each other across the tables. Miniature cowboys rustle up a herd of maraschino cherries.
Accompanied by fresh roses in decorative displays and a whimsical pool painted onto the floor (Haricot continue to impress when it comes to how they theme their space for every show) this is a strong debut. I’m not sure how engaging any one of these works might be in isolation, but hung together they convey a very distinct look and vision. I could easily see Nadal exploring this concept for another few seasons. I’d love to see a winter series.
Plan your visit
‘Poolside’ runs until 16 Dec.
Visit haricotgallery.com and follow @haricotgallery on Instagram for more info about the venue.
Visit paulanadal.com and follow @paulanadal_official on Instagram for more info about the artist and fashion brand.
PLUS…
Check the What’s On page so you don’t miss any other great shows closing soon.
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