Esther Mahlangu

Description

A portrait of Esther Nikwambi Mahlangu, known for adapting Ndebele mural art, which is traditionally painted on adobe walls, to alternative surfaces such as canvas and metal alloys. Her signature designs often feature white-bounded lines arranged diagonally or in chevron patterns. Her compositions have been described as more engaging and complex than that of her contemporaries, with particularly intricate border designs. In 1991, she was commissioned by BMW to create an art car, joining earlier contributors such as Andy Warhol, David Hockney, and Frank Stella. Her design, painted on a BMW 525i, featured traditional Ndebele motifs and was the first BMW Art Car created by both a non-Western artist and a woman.