What are the ambiguous narratives in Paula Rego's art?

Paula Rego’s art is like a storybook where you can read different stories depending on which character you focus on.

Ambiguous narratives mean there are multiple ways to understand what’s happening in her pictures, just like when you and your friend see the same cartoon, but you laugh at one part and they laugh at another.

Imagine you’re watching a play where some characters are happy, others are sad, and some are hiding behind curtains. You might think the main character is the one shouting, but maybe it’s the quiet boy in the corner who has the most to say. Paula Rego paints like this, she gives you clues, but not all of them at once.

In some paintings, a girl might be running away from something big and scary, but you could also see her as brave or even a little bit excited. It’s like when you're playing hide-and-seek, the same door can look like an escape route to one person and a trap to another.

Paula Rego lets your imagination do the rest of the work, and that's what makes her art so fun to explore!