Cafeteria , 1946

Private Collection, Toronto

Molly Lamb Bobak, “I Love the Army” in Canadian Art, vol. 2, no. 4, April 1945, pages 147–48 Michelle Gewurtz, Molly Lamb Bobak: Life & Work [online publication], Art Canada Institute, Toronto, 2018, page 63

Reflecting on her time as an official war artist during the Second World War, Molly Lamb Bobak recalled: “The whole structure of army life is agreeable to a painter. All the nuances of living are done away with because you don’t have to cook, you don’t have to worry about being poor or sick or being without warm clothes. And everywhere you turn there is something terrific to paint.” In this military environment, Bobak was able to completely focus her practice on observing and documenting her surroundings. “Cafeteria” is a prime example of Bobak’s ability to provide a rare and intimate portrayal of the activities of those at home during the Second World War. Although the work depicts a busy communal cafeteria, the artist showcases her skill at capturing the individual and collective energy of the scene. Bobak allows the viewer to empathize with the exhausted nurse seeking a free spot to rest for her meal break amongst the sea of people. Conversely, the smartly dressed woman seated behind the nurse exudes a sense of sophistication and style, elegantly dressed, a cigarette casually resting in her fingers. Michelle Gewurtz notes that “these crowd scenes represent Lamb Bobak’s commitment to translating her impressions of lived experience...the faces in the crowds are loosely drawn and devoid of detail, but the language of modern life is clear in the gestures of the bodies gathered together.”