An exotic fruit and vegetable stall, Brixton Market

One of several drawings by David Williams in the Museum's collection, this pastel drawing depicts a greengrocers' stall in Brixton Market.

The exotic fruit and vegetables on display include 'Jamaican selected green bananas', sugar cane, sweet potatoes and callaloo. A pair of women are perusing the produce on offer and chatting with the couple running the stall.

Williams uses bright colours to recreate the energy of the busy market and denote the colourful objects on display. Black lines establish the contours of the stall and distinguish areas of the drawing, including the figures in the foreground, the crates on the left and hooks hanging over the stall.

A number of stalls in Brixton Market catered for South London's African-Caribbean communities. The artist made these comments about his drawings: 'Beneath the railway bridges that criss-cross Brixton there is a lively colourful environment. All my pictures drawn during the summer of 1988 attempt to document the everyday life of the market and the characters who live and work in it'.