Her work explores the complex histories of the San, Khoi, and Griqua – delving deep into themes of identity, and the constant struggle to reclaim one’s lost history as a Brown person.

The title of the exhibition, Groot Gat, references Boesman’s Gat, a submerged freshwater cave in Kimberley which served as a well and fishing site for the indigenous community, before it was seized by colonisers. It is now a popular site for free diving, and is both a physical void, as well as a representation of the gap in the shared history that many Coloured people experience because of the effects of colonialism.

Through her artistic vision, LADY SKOLLIE extends an invitation to all of us to peer beyond the surface of what is presented to us and do the work to address the gaping void in our complex internal worlds. Her raw, gritty style of expression mirrors the violent erasure of Bushman artwork, offering a glaring commentary on the way that society often glosses over cultures that have long been marginalised.
Her work challenges us to go deep, and explore the potential that is waiting to emerge from within.