First person to reimagine Traditional Ndebele design
This is Esther Mahlangu, an 88-year-old South African artist who is globally acclaimed for her bright and bold abstract paintings that are inspired by Ndebele design.
She is the first person to transfer the traditional Ndebele style of mural painting to canvas. Mahlangu has spent more than 7 decades practising her artform and has travelled extensively to collaborate with the world’s most respected museums, galleries, curators, art fairs, celebrities and global brands.
She holds 3 honorary doctorates which was presented to her by the University of Johannesburg, Tshwane University of Technology and Durban University of Technology.
In 1991 she became the first lady and first African to participate in the BMW Art Car Collection alongside other notables of the likes of Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein and Frank Stella.