Hello Darling
“Don’t be like the rest of them darling”
– Coco Chanel
A recent road trip to the Western Cape’s Atlantic coastline, took us up towards Langebaan. On our way back to the Mother City, we spent the weekend in a town called Darling.
We approached the town via a good road, passing farms, vineyards and olive groves. We were headed for the former home of artist Nicolaas Maritz, now known as the Maritz Museum.
I’d wanted to visit the museum for some time, after seeing countless images of the artworks on display and photographs of the lush, indigenous garden. We met Nicolaas a few winters ago, at an exhibition in Kalk Bay. I’d been impressed by this charismatic and fantastically creative artist. We have stayed in touch.
Walking into his former home is a magnificent assault to the senses. The interior was a bit like getting off a plane in Mumbai or Marrakech, with its eclectic array of colours, canvases and ceramics. The whole place is a labyrinth of brilliant hues and creativity.
We revisited several pieces seen before in Kalk Bay Modern Gallery a few years ago; imposing contemporary portraiture in bold, blocky frames. But we had come to see the most recent works, the landscapes and digital prints skilfully created for Nicolaas’ new book, South African Animal Portraits A-Z. The book presents so many of South Africa’s wondrous wildlife. Tragically, in the future, some of these species may only live on in this this beautifully illustrated book. So many animals face extinction worldwide.
I moved from room to room, chatting with various people and taking a closer look at the artwork. I asked Nicolaas when he moved and he joked, saying that the art work finally ‘pushed him out’ in 2006. Everywhere you looked, almost every bit of wall space had been covered by his creations. Even the walls and doors were brightly painted.
I gazed at myriads of designs hanging in the museum, fascinated by Nicolaas’ techniques. His work is authentic. Unique. Engaging. His landscapes follow their own rules and conventions.
People came and went but a few of us remained, talking politics, climate change and capitalism, while occasionally peering at the artistry surrounding us. It’s a truly extraordinary setting, displaying the work of an extraordinary artist.
We were the last to leave. We could have kept talking!
We wandered into the garden, a magical maze of colossal cacti, tall bamboo and rampant, indigenous aloes. We could have happily got lost in that space. But we were out of wine.
So we made a beeline for the nearby wine estate. En route we stopped in the town in search of Nicolaas’ book. We bought the last two copies and chatted to the genial woman in the book shop, who told us more about the town.
We quickly found our way to the Ormonde Wine estate. There was no stiff and starchy tasting room. Instead we sat nestled between shady tees, with a ginormous platter of prosciutto, pate, cheese and sweet treats. It was relaxed and unpretentious. Our waitron was wonderful and couldn’t do enough to ensure that we enjoyed our lunch and the wine.
The next day we visited the Groote Post estate. We drove about 12 kilometres on a dusty, gravel road, in search of good wine. Groote Post did not disappoint.
Here we received the warmest welcome of the weekend, at the tasting room of the estate. We talked travel, life choices and risk taking, over sips of cool Sauvignon Blanc and fine, peppery Shiraz. We chatted about some of the decisions we have made and a little about the life we have worked together to build. As we were leaving, our host said to us “You two inspire me”. It certainly felt good to speak with someone who showed an interest in your life, someone who is looking for ways to live differently too. A like minded soul. We were glad we had made the detour.
We headed back to the Mother City.
As we got closer to Cape Town, I reflected on our trip. Everywhere we had gone, we were warmly greeted by fantastically friendly people. Darling is a small town with a big heart.
We travel a lot. We try to avoid going to places where there is the same glut of chain stores and restaurants. It’s true of so many countries, where profit has replaced personality on the high street.
We were impressed with this small town, retaining it’s own individual style, daring to be Darling; no big malls and very few of the usual main road franchises. Instead we found small, family run businesses, shops and cafes. An original. I hope that with urban development, which is inevitable over time, it can preserve its character and not end up looking like all the other towns. Don’t be like the rest of them Darling.
@Maggie M/Mother City Time
Maritz Museum