By James Brewer
She has been described as “femme fatale of the London/Polish art scene.” Warsaw-born Marta Lola Boros revels in being “Baroque and Gothic, creative and capricious” and here she is again, with her most ambitious solo show. She has far from expressed hitherto all she has to say, artistically speaking.
On March 25, 2025, Marta unveiled a new series of portraits of sitters including friends, and of herself “with a wave of long curls and Amy Winehouse eyes.”
In scanning a subject’s face, she seeks “to achieve the most concise and true expression of their soul.” Noted for the firm lines wielded by her brush, she brings her quirky flair to every canvas. Her many fans are used to seeing the images of solitary women with determined mien, and sometimes with an arc of gold paint enhancing their psyche. One viewer was put in mind of some of Pablo Picasso’s delineations during his Surrealist period.
The exhibition continues at Studio Sienko, 57A Lant Street, London SE1, until May 2, 2025. The gallery, its exposed brickwork providing a conspicuous backdrop to the artwork, is just a short walk from Borough station. Lant Street might claim to retain something of a Dickensian air – Charles Dickens at the age of 11 or 12 lodged there so that he could labour in a nearby boot-blacking factory.
The provocative portraits reflect Marta’s spirited energy and impulsive avant-gardism, as she revisits her approach to women’s empowerment and picks up the mental rhythms of her subjects. Among the acrylic studies are those of Tina, “my muse.” Tina, like the artist, frequents clubs which attract people with Goth-style aesthetics.
Guitarist Federico Meccariello and keyboardist Giovanni Monverde were warmly applauded for their cascading, synthesised sub-genre up-to-date Italian-disco style music.
On the opening night, Marta interspersed the musical accompaniments with readings from her feminist, passionate poetry.
Marta Lola Boros: exhibition of portrait paintings, is at Studio Sienko, 57A Lant Street, London SE1, until May 2nd, 2925.
