My First Solo Art Exhibition in Brighton, Sussex UK

For the longest time, I resisted showing my artwork.

Painting, for me, has never been about being seen. It has never been about exhibitions, recognition, or competition. It has always been something deeply personal, an intimate process of integration of my awakening journey.

When I paint, I am not trying to create something for others. I am translating direct experience, something beyond words, into colour, shape, and texture. Each piece becomes a quiet conversation with myself, a way of embodying and making sense of what I’ve experienced.

My abstract work is entirely intuitive. It emerges from a place that doesn’t seek approval or audience. For a long time, that felt complete in itself. There was no need to share it.

And yet something shifted.

There comes a moment when hiding no longer feels aligned. A moment when being seen becomes part of the journey too. And I realized it is time. Time for my abstract paintings to step out into the world. Time for it to be witnessed.

I’m over the moon to share that I’m holding my first 2026 solo art exhibition, and it still feels surreal to say that.

Set in the centre of Brighton Hove, Sussex UK, this art exhibition takes place in a beautiful French bistro and café. Seeing my artwork hanging on the walls in central of Brighton felt surreal.

Mange Tout on Trafalgar Street is an intimate and welcoming space that opens its doors to any local artist who wants to exhibit. I was drawn to it instantly. It felt warm, alive, and full of character, exactly the kind of environment I wanted my paintings to live in.

For this solo art exhibition, I have carefully selected some of my favorite large scale abstract pieces. Each one holds a fragment of my personal journey, moments of transformation, depth, and expansion. These works are not just paintings, they are lived experiences expressed visually through intuitive abstract art.

The exhibition will be up for a full month, inviting anyone to step in, whether intentionally or by chance. You can come to experience the artwork or simply enjoy the rich flavors of the café while being surrounded by abstract paintings. There is something beautiful about that, art not confined to a traditional gallery, but woven into everyday life.

This moment marks a meaningful step for me as an UK Abstract artist. A gentle yet powerful transition from creating in solitude to sharing my work with the world.

While I will always paint for myself, this solo art exhibition in Brighton feels like the beginning of a new chapter.

Magdalena Smolarska

Abstract Artist | Solo Art Exhibition | Brighton Hove | Sussex UK

Mange Tout, 81 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, BN1 4EB