The Musical Contest after Fragonard Painting

Colombian by birth, Dairo Vargas is a visual artist who lives and works in London, England. Vargas’ work addresses feelings and memories, questioning the sense of self through the narrative of our lives. Using gestural free association, his signature style of abstraction blended with realism aims to capture the thinking process and encourage introspection. Each image brings forward very personal subconscious memories and emotions. The paintings - much like memory itself-are built with layers and the brushstrokes allow one to rebuild, reconstruct, distort and add information as we recall. ‘ If our memories give us a sense of moving through time, then which of them determine who we are and what is to be alive?’ - Dairo Vargas Community engagement and mental health support work is a key component for Vargas artistic practice. He has established a worldwide network using art as a tool for exploring the causes of trauma.