Artists

Lena (Helena) Hugo, born in 1975 in Roodepoort, South Africa, is an artist celebrated for her detailed, realist portraits of South African and migrant workers. She holds a Bachelor of Art in Fine Arts from the University of Pretoria, graduating in 1996. For over two decades, Hugo has focused on portraying the often-overlooked lives of labourers, elevating their status through her art to challenge societal perceptions and highlight their essential economic contributions. Her work explores themes of labour, human dignity, and the universal human condition, including the cycle of birth, death, and resurrection. Recently, she has examined the fear of insignificance and its potential manifestation in destructive behaviour. Hugo works in a variety of mediums, including pastels, oils, charcoal, pencil, fibre arts (often using reappropriated clothing worn by labourers), relief printing, and occasionally photography.

Hugo's art has been exhibited extensively in South Africa as well as in several places internationally. She has received numerous accolades, including being a finalist for the BP Portrait Award, London (2005). Her work is held in public collections such as the University of Johannesburg, University of South Africa, and the Pretoria Art Museum, in addition to private collections worldwide.

Hugo's work is featured in the exhibition Working Life in South Africa: Gerard Sekoto & Lena Hugo, curated by Senior Art Specialist and Head Curator Wilhelm van Rensburg, running from 1 April to 30 May 2025.