Strauss & co - 15 February 2020, Cape Town

79  LADY SKOLLIE SOUTH AFRICAN 1987– Goodness: Many Forms of Bad ink and crayon on paper 137,5 by 78cm R80 000 – 120 000 EXHIBITED Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Cape Town, Tyburn Gallery Booth, 16 to 18 February 2018. Produced using crayon and ink, the image is of a rooster, a crab with its pincers extended, and a feminised figure in the background with tears seeping from their eyes. Less of a scene, and more of a series of obscure objects placed in proximity, Lady Skollie appears to communicate an undefinable act, or images that have the capacity to become symbols, icons, or representations. While dealing predominantly with “themes about sex in contemporary South Africa – such as sexual identity and fluidity, violence, greed, lust and ownership […] The depiction of vaginas, penises, breasts and derrières as well as phallic and yonic-like fruits such as large bananas and ripe papayas is predominant, daring the audience into categorising Lady Skollie’s work as erotic, though the figures do not perform acts.” 1 With allusions to such acts, in her representing a rooster (also, cock) and a crab – perhaps linked to the common STD term for pubic lice. The surfacing of difficult topics is important to Lady Skollie, providing prominence to issues that affect South African womxn of colour and womxn in general. She says that “I am angry about a lot of things. Mostly pertaining to existing on this planet as a womxn.” 2 1. Zaza Hlalethwa (2019) Lady Skollie: A pussy power prophet delivering us from Good and Evil . [Online] Available: https://mg.co.za/article/2019- 06-14- 00-pussy-power-prophet-delivers-us-from- good-and-evil. [13 December 2019] 2.  Ibid . 95