Strauss & co - Review 2009

22 Freida Lock S OUTH A FRICAN 1902-1962 World Record Interior (with Black Striped Chair) signed canvas laid-down on board, 61 by 51,5 cm SOLD R668 400, MARCH 2009 Kitchen Interior with a Red Carpet signed and dated 51 oil on board, 60 by 49,5 cm SOLD R1 002 600, SEPTEMBER 2009 Freida Lock, who has long been underrated, has begun to achieve the status she deserves with prices for her interiors climbing to a record of R1 002 600 realised for Kitchen Interior with a Red Carpet . Reflecting her Bohemian lifestyle, these interiors record the historic Cape houses in which she lived. Desirée Picton-Seymour describes the artist’s ability to make a home out of nothing, transforming neglected interiors with coats of bright paint and filling them with what Lock called “bits of tat”such as rugs, wall hangings, Spanish and Dutch ceramics, and fine furniture often bought from Ashbey’s sales. 1 Lock was influenced by the Post-Impressionists, in particular Van Gogh and Cézanne, whose choice of subject matter, compositional modes and painterly techniques are echoed in her best works. Her rapid brushstrokes, sinuous lines and bold colour contribute to the freshness and spontaneity of her paintings, making them a celebration of her generosity of spirit and her unconventional aesthetic sensibility. 1 Emma Bedford, ‘Freida Lock’ in Albert Werth and Frieda Harmsen. Our Art 4, Foundation for Education, Science and Technology, Pretoria, 1993, p 37.