Lola Montes

Lola Montes (New York, NY, 1981) is a painter, ceramist, photographer and filmmaker. Her highly spiritual and intuitive practice explores themes of ritual, nature, sensuality and femininity. She moved three years ago to Sicily, Italy, engaging in a conscious retreat in the pursuit of introspection, and as material and artistic experimentation. Imbued with a raw, visceral quality that resonates with the island's rugged landscapes and rich history, Lola's work acts a form of storytelling, as she strives to reveal what is beyond the surface. Seeking symbols in everyday life, her paintings are often painted in vibrant colors with bold, expressionist strokes, that delve through her liquid lines and limpid shapes into the natural forces and human psyche's depths. Her keen interest in exploring the metaphysical and spiritual aspects is evident in her works, lending them an otherworldly aura that captures the point between abstraction and figuration, or even between the magical and earthly realms of existence.

Lola Montes received a BFA from The Cooper Union School in 2008. She has exhibited at Nilufar gallery, Milan; Nino Mier Gallery, Los Angeles, CA; Vito Schnabel Gallery, New York, NY; Tripoli Gallery, Wainscott, NY; Goodroom, Munich, DE; Mana Contemporary, Jersey City, NJ; Zuecca Projects, Venice, Italy; Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Center, Athens, Greece; and the Ludwig Museum, Koblenz, Germany; among others. In addition to her painting and sculpture practice, Montes is a film maker and designer. Lola Montes has directed and edited at least 14 short films and music videos. She has participated in a variety of cross-disciplinary projects, working in sound design, radio, and with fashion houses. Lola Montes serves on the board of advisors for Anthology Film Archives in New York, and her film, Dialogue Between a Soul and Nature, was presented at the 2013 Venice Biennale.