Notes

Zanzibar captivated a number of South African artists, not least Freida Lock. Descriptions of her stay in Zanzibar, reported in The Star in 1949 and recorded in Johannes Meintjes’s diary, indicate that, unlike most foreigners:
Lock became known to the Arab community and was invited to Arab houses, where she became acquainted with their culture at first hand. The jostling markets, the dhow harbours, the music and singing at wedding feasts fascinated her, appealing to her passionate nature and love of the exotic. The winding streets, deep doorways and shuttered windows, and the locals, whom she thought were some of the most beautiful people she had ever seen, are all captured in her paintings.ⁱ

Her legendary Bohemian lifestyle and the allure of exotic objects are evoked with typical flare in this still life. Two brass vessels, painted with a finely-honed sensitivity to nuanced tones, contrast with the bright colours and dramatic designs of the fabrics she collected. The tightly cropped composition brings the objects up close, giving them an intense presence and intimacy. To enhance the exotic appeal of these objects, Zanzibari door posts are used to frame the painting.

What could more effectively evoke a cherished occasion in the artist’s home? Freshly brewed coffee and juicy oranges laid out on dazzling cloths vividly convey so much of the character and passions of this famously warm and generous woman.
In 1938 she became a founder member of the New Group. In that same year fellow New Group member, Walter Battiss, wrote: “The freshness of all Freida Lock’s still life paintings has brought about a new appreciation of this art in South Africa".ⁱ

i. Emma Bedford, ‘Freida Lock’ in Our Art, vol 4, Foundation for Education, Science and Technology, Pretoria, 1993, p 38.

ii. Ibid, p35.