Story and images: Courtesy of Melrose Gallery and BMW Art Cars
First introduced in France and Europe during the exhibition, Les Magiciens de la Terre, organized at the Centre Pompidou in 1989 by its former director Jean-Hubert Martin, Dr. Esther Mahlangu presents a series of paintings created between 2019 and 2021 at Almine Rech. One can immediately recognize her geometric style and dynamic colour intricacies, this new solo show in Paris seemed like a great opportunity for a conversation with the art historian, who recalls his first impressions when discovering the work of this South African painter, born in Middelburg in 1935. – Marie Maertens, writer and critic
This engaging conversation with Jean-Hubert Martin will be available on our website nearer to the launch of the exhibition.
Click here for more information on Dr. Esther Mahlangu
Dr Esther Mahlangu is globally acclaimed for her bright and bold abstract paintings that are inspired by Ndebele design.
She was a disruptor from an early age, becoming the first person to reimagine Ndebele design that is tradionally used for decorating houses on contemporary mediums.
Dr 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.
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.
Who is Dr Esther Mahlangu?
“I would continue to paint on the house when they left for a break, when they came back they would say: what have you done child? Never do that again! After that I started drawing on the back of the house, and slowly my drawings got better and better until they finally asked me to come back to the front of the house. Then I knew I was good at painting.”
Dr Esther Mahlangu was born in 1935 in Middelburg in Mpumalanga. She was taught the art of Ndebele design and house painting from her mother and grandmother as is tradition in Ndebele culture.
She was a disruptor and visionary from an early age, incurring the wrath of her elders by painting over their wall paintings. She was told to practice on the back of houses but her innate skill was soon clear to see and Dr Mahlangu is a source of great pride to the Ndebele nation as their most globally acclaimed artist and ambassador.
Dr Mahlangu was the first person to reimagine Ndebele design on more contemporary mediums and this has led to her painting anything from planes, cars, motorbikes and bicycles to pots, canvas, walls, mannequins and even war helmets.
Although she had already built a strong reputation in South Africa, her international break through was in 1989 when she was invited to participate in ‘Les Magiciens de la Terre, an exhibition at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, France. For this exhibition she painted a model of her house in Mpumalanga which was viewed by massive audiences.
In 1991 she became the first lady and first African to be invited to participate in the BMW Art Car Collection amongst other notables of the likes of Andy Warhol, David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein and Frank Stella.
Whilst firmly grounded in and immensely proud of her Ndebele culture and choosing to live in her homestead in rural Mpumalanga and wear traditional Ndebele dress, Dr Mahlangu is a woman of the world. Shehas and continues to spend extensive time in many of the world’s largest and most modern cities collaborating with leading museums, curators, art fairs, celebrities and global brands.
Dr Mahlangu has collaborated on many high profile projects including John Legend and Belvedere Vodka to raise money for the fight against HIV in Africa, BMW, Rolls-Royce, Fiat, BMW, British Airways, South African Airways, Eytys Sneakers for Paris Fashion Week and Freshpak Rooibos amongst numerous others.
During her illustrious career, spanning 3 decades, she has developed an almost pop icon status of her own. Her works grace the collections of the likes of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys for the Dean Collection, Usher, John Legend, Trevor Noah, Oprah Winfrey, Will Smith and Black Coffee amongst numerous other pop stars who recognize her unflinching dedication to her artform and practice.
Many leading museums, private collectors and corporates have also acquired her works including the Smithsonian Institute, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum of Woman in the Arts, Centre Georges Pompidou, Museum Bochum, Musee des Beaux Arts, Iziko South African National Gallery, Pretoria Art Museum, Jean Pigozzi, the Sovereign Art Foundation and the World Bank amongst numerous others who understand her invaluable contribution to contemporary art.
Dr Mahlangu richly deserves her many accolades and awards which date as far back as 1988. These include the receipt of two honorary doctorates in 2018and an appointment as ‘Office of Arts and Letters’ the highest recognition for contribution to the arts from France and an award from the United Nations in 2019. In 2007 she received ‘The Order of Ikhamanga’ from the President of South Africa.
Throughout her life she has steadfastly advocated for the promotion and preservation of Ndebele culture. This has led to her commitment to educating and passing her skills to the younger generation via her self-funded art school at her homestead.
Selected Solo Exhibitions:
- 2020: Unveiling of the ‘Mahlangu’ Rolls-Royce Phantom, Cape Town, SA
- 2020: Investec Cape Town Art Fair –Past/Modern Section, Cape Town, SA
- 2020: ‘Dr Esther Mahlangu–Disrupting Patterns’, The Melrose Gallery, Cape Town, SA
- 2019: ‘Timeless’ Oliewenhuis Museum, Bloemfontein, SA
- 2019: ‘Timeless’ Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Cape Town, SA
- 2017: A Tribute to Nelson Mandela, The Melrose Gallery, Johannesburg, SA
- 2016: BMW Lounge, FRIEZE ART FAIR, London, UK
- 2015: Esther Mahlangu 80, UCT Irma Stern Museum, Cape Town, SA
- 2014: Esther Mahlangu: An Artistic Residency, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia, USA
- 2012: Overlay, 34FineArt, Cape Town, SA
- 2010: Centro Espositivo St. Art, Calenzano, Italy
- 2008: Esther Mahlangu: Reacquiring, The Kyle Kauffman Gallery, New York, USA
- 2007: Esther Mahlangu 2007, 34LONG, Cape Town, SA
- 2007: Why Africa?, Fiat 500, Turin, Italy
- 2005: Esther Mahlangu, 34LONG, Cape Town, SA
- 2003: Esther Mahlangu 2003, UCT Irma Stern Museum, Cape Town, SA
- 1998: Museum of Oceanianand African Art, Paris, France
Selected Group Exhibitions:
- 2019: Conflict Resolution Art, Athens, Greece
- 2019: ‘Timeless’, The Melrose Gallery Cape Town
- 2019: Limited edition Freshpak Rooibos tin
- 2018: Public Commission –3 murals: The Market Theatre Foyer, Esther Mahlangu Boardroom at Windybrow Theatre, The Contemporary Market Square Complex, Johannesburg, SA
- 2018: Group Exhibition, Museum of Arts and Design, New York, USA
- 2018: Not A Single Story, Nirox Foundation Sculpture Park, Cradle of Humankind, SA
- 2016: South Africa The Art of a Nation, The British Museum, UK, 27 October 2016
- 2016: New design –Belvedere(RED), NY, USA
- 2015: Amref Health Africa Artball: Celebrating Contemporary Art, New York, USA
- 2015: Imibala Gallery, Somerset West, SA
- 2015: Sneaker design with Swedish Company Eytys, Paris Fashion Week, France
- 2015: 40 years of BMW Art Cars, BMW Museum, Munchen, Germany
- 2014: Traditional African Murals, Museum of African Art, Belgrade, Serbia
- 2014: Look Mickey!, 34FineArt, Cape Town, SA 2014 Les Magiciens de la Terre, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
- 2014: Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain
- 2014: Cape Town Art Fair, Cape Town, SA
- 20131: 54 Contemporary African Art Fair, London, UK
- 2013: Urban Interpretation, Graffik Gallery, London, UK
- 2013: FourWalls, 34FineArt, Cape Town, SA
- 2012: Art Drive! Exhibition, Great Eastern Street Car Park in Shoreditch, London, UK
- 2012: Urban Interpretation, 34FineArt, Cape Town, SA
- 2012: Blend, 34FineArt, Cape Town, SA
- 2011: Durban Tourism Indaba, Durban, SA
- 2011: Ensemble,34FineArt, Cape Town, SA
- 2011: ArtMonaco’1 1, Monaco
- 2011: Museum of Arts and Design, New York, USA
- 2010: Africa.Objetosy Sujetos,Teatro Fernan Gomez, Centrode Arte, Madrid, Spain
- 2010: ATASATrustSouthernAfricaHandcraft&NdebeleArtExhibition,Newtown,SA
- 2010: La mostra sulla Regina d’Africa Esther Mahlangu, Napoli, Italy
- 2010: Museum of Arts and Design, New York City, USA
- 2010: 2010 Fine Art Collection,FIFA,South Africa
- 2009: Sortileges, Fondation pour L’art Contemporain, Claudine et Jean-Marc Salomon, Alex, France
- 2009: 3rd Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, Moscow, Russia
- 2009: 2010 Africa? Una nuova storia, Complesso del Vittoriano, Rome, Italy
- 2008: The Speed Art Museum, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
- 2008: Denver Museum of Art, Denver, Colorado, USA
- 2008: Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, USA
- 2007: Why Africa?, Pinacoteca Giovanni eMarella Agnelli, Turin, Italy
- 2007: Painted the New Fiat 500- “Why Africa?”, The Pigozzi Collection, Italy
- 2007: SA Art–Signs, Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, Bratislava, Slovakia
- 2007: Berlin and Beyond Art in Public Places, Florida, USA
- 2007: Berlin and Beyond Art in Public Places, Florida,USA
- 2007: Durban Art Gallery, Durban, SA
- 2007: Orlando Museum of Art, Orlando, USA
- 2007: The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- 2007: Tacoma Museum of Art, Tacoma, Washington, USA
- 2006: 100% African; The Jean Pigozzi Contemporary African Art Collection, Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Spain
- 2006: Indianapolis Museum ofArt, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA 2006
- 2006: Memory Innovation Tradition,34 LONG, Cape Town, SA 2006
- 2006: Roppongi Hills Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
- 2006: Beyond Lilith: The Sacred Feminine,Scuderie Aldobrandini Frascati, Roma, Italy
- 2005: Arts of Africa, Grimaldi Forum, Monaco
- 2005: Yokohama Triennial, Japan
- 2005: New Identities Contemporary Art from South Africa, Pretoria Art Museum & Johannesburg Art Gallery, SA
- 2005: Galleria Spacia, Italy
- 2005: South Africa-USA Native American Exchange Project, Institute of American Indian Arts, Santa Fe, USA
- 2005: Project Row Houses, Museumof Fine Arts, Houston, USA
- 2005: African Art Now: Masterpieces from the JeanPigozzi Collection, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, USA
- 2005: National Museum of African Art, The Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., USA
- 2004: New Identities Contemporary Art from South Africa, Museum Bochum, Germany
- 2004: New Orleans Jazz Festival, South African Stage, New Orleans, USA
- 2003: Dentro e Fuori le Mura, Fabbrica Eos, Milano, Italy
- 2002: Passport to South Africa, Centro Culturale Trevi, Bolzano, Italy
- 2002: The Art of Colour, Knysna Fine Art Gallery, Knysna, SA
- 2001: Arte Africana Contemporanea, Galleria d’arte Spazia, Bologna, Italy
- 2001: Galleria Cavellini, Brescia, Italy
- 2001: South Africa Today, The Helsinki Fair Centre, Finland
- 2000: 5th Biennale of Contemporary Art, Lyons, France
- 2000: Dialogue of Cultures, EXPO 2000, Hannover, Germany
- 1999: The Three Rivers Art Festival, Pittsburgh, USA
- 1999: <<REWIND>>FASTFORWARD.ZA,VanReekumMuseum,Apeldoorn, Netherlands
- 1998: Solo Exhibition, Musee des Arts d’Afrique et d’Oceanie, Paris, France
- 1998: AfricaAfrica:VibrantNewArtfromaDynamicContinent,TobuMuseumof Art, Tokyo, Japan
- 1997: British Airways tail wing design, UK
- 1997: Exhibit Gallery, Philadelphia, USA
- 1997: York College, Los Angeles, California, USA
- 1997: Mural for National Museum of Woman in the Arts, Washington D.C., USA
- 1997: Ndebele Images -Then and Now, National Arts Club, New York, USA
- 1997: Oog op Zuidelijke Afrika, Het Afrika Museum, Berg en Dal, Netherlands
- 1997: Portalto America, Installation, Spoleto Festival, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
- 1997: African Immigrant Folklife Festival,Washington D.C., USA
- 1996: Parish Gallery, Georgetown, USA
- 1996: Exhibition for the Congressional Black Caucus, Washington D.C., USA
- 1996: Armour J. Blackburn Centre, Howard University, Washington D.C., USA
- 1996: World Bank, Washington D.C., USA
- 1996: Mural -Ministry of Finance Building, Pretoria, SA
- 1996: Mural -Alexandra Township Stadium, Johannesburg, SA
- 1995: BMW Art Cars and Paintings Exhibition, Sydney, Australia
- 1995: Group Exhibition, Market Theatre, Johannesburg, SA
- 1994: BMW Art Cars Collection, National Museum of Woman in the Arts, Washington D.C., USA
- 1994: Mural -National Museum of Woman in the Arts, Washington D.C., USA
- 1994: Mural -Ndebele College of Education, KwaNdebele, SA
- 1994: Mural -African Festival, Lisbon, Portugal
- 1994: Mural -European Inventive Business Travel Meetings Exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland
- 1994: Out of Africa, Musee des Beaux-Arts de Nantes, France
- 1993: La Grande Verite, Les Astres Africains, Nantes Fine Arts Museum, Nantes, France
- 1993: European Inventive Business Travel Meetings Exhibition, Lisbon, Portugal
- 1993 : Geneva International Exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland
- 1992: Commedes Garcons, Tokyo, Japan; New York, USA; and Paris, France
- 1992: Commedes Garcons, Tokyo, Japan; New York, USA; and Paris, France
- 1992: Out of Africa, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
- 1992: Fire Screen, Civic Theatre, Johannesburg, SA
- 1992: BMW Art Cars, Documenta 9, Kassel, Germany
- 1992: Africa Hoy, Groninger Museum, Groningen, Netherlands
- 1992: Africa Hoy, Cultural Centre of Contemporary Art, Mexico City, Mexico
- 1991: BMW Art Cars, Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town, SA
- 1991: BMW Art Cars Commission, Germany
- 1991: Painting columns in Building, Tokyo, Japan
- 1991: Fashion Collection, Tokyo, Japan
- 1991: Ny Afrikansk Billedkunst, Copenhagen, Denmark
- 1991: Africa Hoy, Centro Atlantico de Arte Moderno, Las Palmas, de Gran Canaria, Spain
- 1990: Caravan Auto Show, Lavante, France
- 1990: Bordeaux Festival, Bordeaux, France
- 1990: Mural Painting, Rosebank Shopping Centre, SA
- 1990: Mural Painting, Johannesburg School, SA
- 1989: Centre de la Villette, Paris, France
- 1989: Fine Arts Museum, Angouleme, France
- 1989: Mural Painting, Musee des Beaux Arts, France
- 1989: Les Magiciens de la Terre, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
Collections:
- National Museum of Woman in the Arts, Washington D.C., USA
- Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., USA
- Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia, USA
- Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France
- Meulensteen Art Museum, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Museum Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town, SA
- Musee des Beaux Arts, France
- Musee des Arts d’Afrique et d’Oceanie, Paris, France
- Botshabelo Museum,Botshabelo,
- BMW Art Cars Collection, Germany
- Museum of Modern Art, Equatorial Guinea BHP
- SA Roppongi Hills Art Museum, Japan
- Museum Bochum, Germany
- Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, SA
- University of Cape Town, SA
- The Pigozzi Collection, Geneva, Switzerland
- Larry Warsh Collection
- Ben Milstein Collection
- Rupert Art Collection, Stellenbosch, SA
- The Dean Collection (Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys)
- Usher
- Trevor Noah
- Oprah Winfrey
- John Legend
- Will Smith
- Black Coffee
- The Sovereign Art Foundation
- World Bank Collection, USA
- BROKER Art Collection, Belgium
- BOE Bank, Cape Town, SA
- Johnnic Communications Management Services Collection, Johannesburg, SA
- Billiton Collection, Johannesburg
- RE:CM Collection, Cape Town, SA
Recognitions:
- 2019: UNHRC Southern Africa NGO and Multi-Stakeholder Award in Recognition of Inclusivity and Empowerment
- 2019: The Department of Arts and Culture publish a book on Dr Esther Mahlangu for “25 Years of Democracy –Growing South Africa Together for Women’s Emancipation”
- 2018: Awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Johannesburg (UJ)
- 2018: Awarded an honorary doctorate from the Durban University of Technology (DUT)
- 2016: The Lilizela Awards, Minister’s Award, SA
- 2016: CAAMMPPS, South African Women Identity & Heritage Life Lessons, Discourse Honorary Award, SA
- 2015: Lilizela Tourism Awards, Best Roots and Culture Exhibition, SA
- 2015: The Lilizela Tourism Award, Roots and culture, SA
- 2015: South African Traditional Music Achievement Awards, Life Time Achievement Award, SA
- 2013: 1st Mbokodo Award, SA
- 2012: 1st Mbokodo Award, South African Women in the Arts, SA
- 2010: Increasing Access to the Arts Award -13th annual BASA Awards, SA
- 2007: The Heritage Award for Preservation and Promotion of South African Heritage and Culture, The Premier of KZN, SA
- 2006: The Order of Ikhamanga (Silver) , Government of South Africa, SA
- 2006: National Arts and Culture Trust, Lifetime Achievement Award, SA
- 2001: Arts and Culture Award, Art Promotion, SA
- 2001: Pan-African Broadcasting, Heritage and Achievement Award (PABHA),SA
- 2001: Radio Ndebele Award, SA
- 1999 Mpumalanga Arts and Culture Award, SA
- 1997 Nassau County Commendation, New York, USA
- 1997 Incorporated Village of Hempstead Citation, Hempstead, New York, USA
- 1997 Ministry of Culture and Communication, Centre de la Villette, France
- 1996 Mpumalanga Sport Premier’s Culture Award, SA
- 1988 Radio Ndebele Award, SA
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For more information, visit the Melrose Gallery by clicking on the link below:
https://themelrosegallery.com/artists/44-dr.-esther-mahlangu/works/