Cape Town-born visual artist Lady Skollie (Laura Windvogel) has been announced as the winner of the 2020 FNB Art Prize.

Lady Skollie, who is represented by Everard Read Gallery, said of her win: “As someone who never fit in, someone who dropped out of art school, someone who only got South African representation at the age of 31, winning a local art prize makes me feel like my existence in it is validated.”

The artist is known for producing paintings and mixed-media works that grapple with themes of gender, identity, sex and the politics of lust.
Lady Skollie is the 10th recipient of the annual prize, which provides her with a cash prize, an exhibition platform at the FNB Art Joburg Fair (which will take place online this year), and an international residency for 2021-2022.
An upcoming solo exhibition by the artist, titled BOUND, will take place at Cape Town’s Everard Read Gallery on 11 November.
The exhibition directly references various writings by and about women in captivity, women in isolation, woman in shackles, chains, manacles and collars; she wonders about cages, revenge, tunnels with light at the end but more times absolute darkness and a life spent expecting to be released from evil.
The 2020 FNB Art Prize recipient was selected by a committee made up of Khwezi Gule (Chief Curator, Johannesburg Art Gallery), Aspasia Karras (Publisher; Sunday Times Lifestyle, Edit, Edit Man, Business Day Wanted and Sowetan Magazine) and Nicole Siegenthaler (fair manager FNB Art Joburg.

“We are proud to announce Lady Skollie as the 10th FNB Art Prize winner. Her rendition of art has challenged societies norms to evolve; and be present through the many social challenges that we face. Art is an evolving medium and through the years the FNB Art Joburg platform has ensured that we continue to support and recognise talent across all art mediums. Congratulations Lady Skollie,” said Bonga Sebesho, Head of FNB Sponsorships.

See more of her work here.
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