Illustrator Cristina BanBan intertwines the eccentricities of London life with memories of her native Spain

For creatives, moving somewhere new can be a fruitful source of inspiration. Similarly it can also turn the spotlight firmly back on home. The latter has certainly been true for London-based illustrator Cristina BanBan, whose new series There Isn’t Milk For Your Tea mixes visual references from her native Spain with the weird and unexpected quirks of her new city. Beach-side food stalls mingle with cream tea shops, and everyday tea-based rituals take on a huge quantity of Mediterranean flair. “A lot of what is depicted in my recent work are things that I took for granted where I grew up. But when you leave, these memories remain, but they form different places in your mind.”

Cristina’s process has also shifted considerably after relocating. Known for her portraits of women in bold flat colours, her canvases have since been disrupted with overlapping elements, translucent layers and unrealistic perspectives – a response to this mishmash of memory and new experience. “My work is much more honest now as I have given myself the time and some mental space to create.”