Lust, desire, and fruit: Defying sexual politics in Johannesburg
Image courtesy Tyburn Gallery
Lady Skollie's reputation precedes the artist.
During our interview, her most overused phrase, "I'm not sure I should be saying this, but" could epitomize her outspoken views on politics, gender and more specifically sex.
The South African artist is known for seductive watercolor paintings that reclaim her sexual experiences as "a woman of color."
From papayas to bananas painted provocatively, art critics have stamped her works as 'an erotic jolt to the art world' to 'mildly offensive.'
"I've always shared way too much," she says, rather understated. "I always found a lot of value in shock value and it's just about me now focusing that energy in a cleaner cut way so that I can actually make a difference."
Born Laura Windvogel, the Johannesburg based 29-year-old tackles thorny issues around gender and sexual violence through art making - and previously - a sex talk radio show titled Kiss & Tell. Her first solo show in the UK has just opened in London, an exhibition on 'Lust Politics', it hopes to shock British sensibilities but also raise awareness.
In "a country [South Africa] where HIV is rife, abuse is rife, teenage pregnancy is rife, and these are all things that are happening right now yet no one really feels open enough to talk about it, it always does my head in," she says.
The goal is to spark crucial debates amongst men and women on taboo topics. "Sex positivity, body positivity for me, is a good channel with my art to address these issues."
Read the full article at CNN.
Published on CNN Style, February 2017
