In 2017, internationally renowned South African artist Dr. Esther Mahlangu was invited to the United States by RED to support their campaign to fight and eliminate the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Mahlangu visited a number of major American cities with a traveling display of her work and hands-on workshops for aspiring artists, raising money for the Global Fund towards the good cause.
In this exclusive video, The Creators Project gets behind-the-scenes access as Mahlangu travels through New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, D.C. and Atlanta, getting a better insight into the craft, skill, matrilineal tradition, innovation, and inspiration behind her larger body of work, as well as the original pieces she created for the RED campaign.
Mahlangu emerged on the international art scene in 1989 at a contemporary art exposition titled Magiciens de la terre (Magicians of the World) held in Paris at the Centre Georges Pompidou. Two years later, she was commissioned by by BMW to paint an art car making her the first non-western person and female to design one of these cars. The car, a BMW 525i, was the first “African Art Car” and was painted with typical motifs of the Ndebele tribe. In 1994, the car was exhibited at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC. Her works are in major private collections including that of The Contemporary African Art Collection (CAAC) of Jean Pigozzi and in many Western museums.
Mahlangu’s creations are characterized by the vibrant colours and geometrical patterns. The designs are drawn from the patterns found in the clothing that identify Ndebele women as single, betrothed or married. She follows a local tradition through which this particular type of painting technique is taught to young Ndebele girls so that when they marry they can decorate the exteriors of their homes. Mahlangu learned from her mother and grandmother and she is very passionate about sharing her knowledge with the younger generation so that she leaves a legacy that lives on for generations to come.