Johannesburg - In this Saturday Star photography series, we usually feature the work of acclaimed Johannesburg dentist Dr Norman Cahi.
But this week, the images in focus will be the work of his wife Alida, who has been the backbone for her husband but in recent years, has explored her journey as an artist.
Her art has been the subject of various pop-ups in Johannesburg and something that has been a lifelong passion for her, apart from being a devoted wife and mother.
“I’ve always been passionate about art, but when I was younger, I was busy with my kids and being a mom on the run,” she said.
The death of her mentor and friend Beatrice Katz, who worked as an art curator for the Johannesburg Art Gallery for about 30 years, also convinced Cahi to fully pursue her love for art.
“She gave me confidence as an artist and encouraged me to use my talents and fully express myself.
“She would be so proud of me if she saw what I was doing. I can hear her voice in my head telling me it's the right thing to do. Although Cahi has no formal training, her love for drawing and painting has seen her spend almost every day for the past two years on her art.
“I never studied art, but I have always had this talent in me. I think it's my second calling, and it will be my legacy that I will leave behind.”
Her work ranges from black and white portraits to bite-size pop culture paintings and even more complex narrative pieces.
“I like to choose different subjects, and I think that’s what keeps me interested,” she said.
Her art is also reflective of her extensive travels around the world and her interests such as old Hollywood and English comic actor, film-maker, and composer Charlie Chaplin, which is the subject of several of her pieces.
For this photographic series, much of Cahi’s art centres around women and children. Other images reflect her love for Disney and fashion. Many of them are in black and white, with a pop of colour.
She added that she wants to use her art to “inject beauty back into the world”.
“I love art and what it means and stands for. Art brightens the world, and it makes it a better place because when you look at a piece of art, even just for a few seconds, you actually forget what’s going on around you. It’s an escape and a form of therapy.”
When the Covid pandemic hit, Cahi began painting on newspapers and her following grew immensely. During those dark days, it provided a sense of distraction to many and as a result, her focus now is on meeting the demand for these newspaper and pop art pieces.