
Laura Windvogel grew up amidst the challenges of the new South Africa, where she experienced the gaps within her heritage first-hand as a Coloured woman growing up in the Coloured community in Cape Town. In her homecoming exhibition, GROOT GAT, she honours her San, Khoi, and Griqua origins by creating a fantasy world that’s free of colonial influence filled with bold and vibrant cave drawings untouched by time and vandalism.
The exhibition’s title not only refers to Boesman’s Gat, a freshwater cave in Kimberley, but also addresses the significant historical gap within the Cape Coloured communities. This cave holds a profound symbolism, representing the gaps caused by colonialism in the shared history of the community. In Lady Skollie’s works, this cave takes on a new and profound symbolism, as the artist explores concepts related to coloured identity and culture within the context of a post-apartheid South Africa. GROOT GAT pivots around the question: how do you define yourself when you are defined by a sense of not knowing the large gaps in your history and ritual”. By engaging with Lady Skollie’s works, viewers are prompted to delve into these complex issues and consider their own place within the broader narrative of society.
The exhibition is on show at Norval Foundation until 15th September 2024.