1-54 PARIS CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART FAIR

Everard Read is taking part in the 2022 Paris edition of the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair.

7 – 10 April | Christie’s Paris | 9 Avenue Matignon

Join us at Booth 21 to view a selection of work by Blessing Ngobeni and Lady Skollie.

1-54 is the leading international art fair dedicated to contemporary art from Africa and the African diaspora. Taking place over four days from 7 – 10 April 2022, 1-54 Paris at Christie’s will take place in the auction house’s galleries at Avenue Matignon, and will feature 23 international exhibitors presenting more than 50 artists. The fair will also be accompanied by 1-54 Forum, a multi-disciplinary programme of talks, screenings, performances, workshops, and readings.

Blessing Ngobeni (b. 1985 Tzaneen, South Africa) works intuitively, layering fragments of collage within his striking compositions of dancing figures. Based in Johannesburg, Ngobeni collects magazines, books, fabric and found objects which he then carefully cuts and embeds into his complex paintings. Ngobeni sifts through visual information and selects images and themes that reference both pre- and post-colonial African history, as well as his own observations of politics and society in contemporary Africa. His bold, distinctive forms draw inspiration from Modernism and Surrealism, but are underpinned by Ngobeni’s focus on African histories and narratives. He tackles the disconcerting consequences of betraying democratic ideals, the failure to learn from historical tragedies, and the expanding gap between the rich and the poor. As a result of his exceptional work and dedication to his practice, Ngobeni received the highly prestigious Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Visual Arts in 2020.

Lady Skollie is the moniker of artist Laura Windvogel (b. 1987 Cape Town, South Africa), ‘skollie’ being a derogative term used to describe a ‘hooligan’ or ‘petty criminal’ in the Afrikaans language. The oxymoron is significant, as Lady Skollie’s provocative use of stereotypes demands her audience engages with dualities and ironies. Working primarily on paper, Lady Skollie combines her training in printmaking with her signature use of wax crayon and ink. Her practice is immediate in its mark-making, and rich in colour and detail. Lady Skollie uses symbols and imagery from Khoi San oral history and ancient rock paintings to speak about the history of her community and their status as a marginalised segment of South African society, reflecting global issues around ethnic minorities both historically and today. Lady Skollie also addresses the politics of lust, questioning both existing and imaginary power structures. In 2020, Lady Skollie was announced as the 10th recipient of the esteemed FNB Art Prize.

For more information, visit https://www.1-54.com/paris/