Lola Stong-Brett
For That, I'll Always Smile
Carl Freedman Gallery is proud to present ‘For That, I’ll Always Smile’, a solo exhibition by British artist Lola Stong-Brett.
Lola Stong-Brett’s paintings draw deeply from her immediate surroundings, memory, and nostalgia, functioning as intimate diary entries that contemplate the ebb and flow of everyday existence. Her work delves into the inherent contradictions of human nature, exploring the fluid boundaries between joy and despair, and drawing on both her personal mindset and the universal concepts of ascent and fall—heaven and hell—within her relationships and inner world.
The figures in Stong-Brett’s work, initially reminiscent of animated characters like Popeye and Bimbo, evolve from playful familiarity into unsettling, often violent portrayals of ordinary life. Shaped in her upbringing within a community deeply invested in hard work and resilience, she was drawn to these characters for their depiction of working-class life, resonating with the authenticity of her own experiences. By intertwining abstraction with figuration and merging the cartoonish with the gravitas of oil painting, Stong-Brett collapses the divide between high and low art. Her use of facade-like masking overlays darker, more melancholic meanings, much like a public mask conceals private complexities. Over time, the figures become increasingly ambiguous, leaving the viewer uncertain whether they are embracing or strangling one another, symbolising the tension between connection and conflict.
Living by the sea in Margate, Stong-Brett finds a delicate balance between the comforts of domesticity and the uncontrollable forces of nature. This tension between the familiar and the chaotic pervades her work, as she juxtaposes the mundanities of everyday life—pool tables, pub scenes—with the raw, elemental presence of the sea. In her paintings, Stong-Brett also weaves in her personal interests, including tattooing, folk art, and her own poetry, adding layers of meaning that reflect both her artistic practice and her personal identity.
Stong-Brett’s use of bold, saturated colours—fiery reds, vibrant blues, and sun yellows—evokes visceral emotional responses tied to passion, anger, and ecstasy, while muted tones like greens and earth shades suggest contemplation, introspection, or a connection to nature. These colour choices become part of a personal language, reflecting her identity and emotional states, with each brushstroke carrying autobiographical significance. Ultimately, Stong-Brett’s paintings create a dynamic space where meaning is fluid—where emotional and social landscapes unfold through colour, gesture, and form, fostering a dialogue between personal and collective experience.
Preview
28 June 2025, 6-8pm
Dates
29 June – 31 August 2025
About The Artist
Lola Stong-Brett (b. 1996, London) lives and works in Margate, UK. After receiving a BA in Painting from Edinburgh College of Art, UK, she moved to Margate where she became an artist-in-residence at the Tracey Emin Foundation (2023–24), and was the recipient of the 2024 Margate Art Award. She has presented duo exhibitions internationally, including An Indispensable Thing, NARANJO 141, Mexico City (2025); and Francesco Joao, Lola Stong-Brett, Galerie Hussenot, Paris (2024). Selected group exhibitions include: TKE Studios Spring Show, TKE Studios, Margate (2025); TEARS Final Show, Tracey Emin Foundation, Margate (2024); Beyond Boundaries, Guts Gallery, London (2024); Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Roman Road Gallery at Christie’s, London (2024); Canon of Beauty, Roman Road Gallery, London (2023); 30×30, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh (2022); and New Contemporaries, Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh (2020).
