Esther

with one of Esther's Easter eggs

Born in 1935 in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, Esther Mahlangu is regarded as South Africa's most important traditional Ndebele artist alive today. In keeping with tradition, she learned the skill of mural painting from her mother and grandmother. Between 1980 - 91 she was a resident at the Botshebelo open air museum which was designed to present a view of the Ndebele culture to visitors. It was the beginning of an international career taking commissions and presenting exhibitions all over the world. (See her extensive resume below.) 

She is best known, as the first person to transfer the traditional mural art to canvas. But why stop there? She also decorated a BMW and a Fiat motor vehicle with traditional designs. She uses feathers, twigs and bundled-twigs as brushes in the traditional way utilizing natural pigments, but she also works with conventional paints.

As soon as we entered her homestead / studio / shop / guest house, I was impressed by the exceptional quality of her work. There is a sophistication to her work that is unique.

Esther's shop is filled with her art for sale as well as clippings and photographs from her international career. It is like a little Esther museum.

a poster of the BMW

She painted the BMW as she does all her painting ...

with chicken feather paint bushes!

a picture of Esther and the Fiat in a book

beautiful blankets

the studio lapa where Esther teaches

a work in progress

students and visitors can stay in Esther's guest house

common area

a peak into one of the rooms

Be on the lookout NYC and CT! Esther will be exhibiting in a New York Gallery in late April / early May and in Cape Town in November.

















Check out Esther's resume:

Exhibitions: (info. provided by www.vgallery.co.za)

2015         Esther Mahlangu 80 ( Solo Exhibition ) 11 November, Irma Stern Museum, Cape Town,

Shoe Design with EYTYS, Paris Fashion week

2014         Cape Town Art Fair 2014, BMW Pavilion , V & A Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia USA

2013         1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, London

Urban Interpretation, Graffik Gallery, London

BMW Art Basel Exhibition, Bazel Switzerland

Contemporary African Art Fair, London

2012         Overlay ( Solo Exhibition ) 34FineArt, Cape Town

2011         África. Objetos y Sujetos, Teatro Fernán Gómez. Centro de Arte, Madrid, Spain

África. Objetos y Sujetos, El Centro Cultural Cajastur Palacio Revillagigedo, Gijon, SpainDurban Tourism Indaba 2011 – Durban, South Africa

Museum of Arts and Design in New York.

Ensemble - 34 FineArt, Cape Town

2010         New York Museum of Arts and Design ( MAD )

Centro Espositive ST.ART, Calenzano, Italy

Carta Intestata Mandela Forum, Italy

Africa 2.0 Influx Contemporary Lisbon Portugal

FIFA World Football Exhibition, Italy

Africa El Centro Cultural Cajastur Palacio Revilla Gigedeo, Spain

Jean Pigozzi Recontrez D'Arles 2010, France

NEW 3FineArt, Cape Town

COOLSTUFF, Cape Town

National Museum Centre, Tokyo, Japan

Biennale di Milindi, Kenya

Galleria Franco Cancelliere, Villa Genovese Sant' Alessio Siculo ( Italy )

Galleria della Fondazione Sarenco, Salò, Italy

Palazzo SAMONE Cuneo, Italy

Galleria Skema 5, Cuneo, Italy 

2009         3rd Moscow Biennale of Contemporary art

MELISSA FEAT Shoe design project House of Palomino, Sao Paulo

Group 09 34Long Fine Art, Cape Town

ArteTivu, Marcon-Venezia

2008         The Speed Art Museum, December 23, 2007 — March 16, 2008

Denver Museum of Art, April 13 — July 6, 2008

Philadelphia Museum of Art, August 2 — October 2, 2008

New Fiat 500 project Italy

‘Esther Mahlangu: Reacquiring’, Kyle Kauffman Gallery, New York, NY, March 27 – May 10

2007         Berlin and Beyond Art in Public Places, Florida USA

Orlando Museum of Art, January 28 — April 22, 2007

The Walters Art Museum, June 17 — August 26, 2007

Tacoma Museum of Art, September 25 — December 9, 2007

34LONG, Cape Town August 7 - September 1

‘Why Africa?’, Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli , Turin, Italy, October 6, 2007 – February 3, 2008

‘Not So Black and White: South African Contemporary Art’, Kyle Kauffman Gallery, New York, NY

‘South African Art: Signs’, Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, Bratislava, Slovakia

‘100% Africa: The Jean Pigozzi Collection of Contemporary Art’, Guggenheim Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain

‘Heritage Arts Award Festival’, Kizo Art Gallery, Durban, South Africa

‘The Winter Show’, Afro Nova, Johannesburg, South Africa

2006         Indianapolis Museum of Art

34 LONG, Cape Town

Roppongi Hills Art Museum, Japan 

2005         Solo Exhibition - 34 Long, Cape Town

National Museum of Art, USA

Yokohama Triennale, Japan

Museum of Fine Art, Houstin, Texas, USA

Arts of Africa, Grimaldi Forum, Monaco - France

Project Row Houses, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, Texas

Contemporary South African Art, Pretoria Art Museum

Contemporary South African Art, Johannesburg Art Gallery

Galleria Spacia, Italy

South Africa - US Native American Exchange Project,  Institute of American Indian Arts - Sante FE, NM.

2004         Contemporary South African Art, Museum Bochum, Germany

New Orleans Jazz Festival South Africa Stage

2003          Dentro e Fuori le Mura, Fabbrica Eos, Milano, Italy

2003         First Solo Exhibition in South Africa, UCT Irma Stern Museum, Cape Town, South Africa

2002         Passport from S.Africa, Centro Culturale "Trevi", Bolzano

Knysna Fine Art Gallery, Knysna

2001         Arte Africana contemporanea, Galleria d'arte Spazia, Bologna, Italy

Galleria Cavellini, Brescia, Italy

South Africa Today, The Helsinki Fair Centre, Finland

2000         5th Biennale of Contemporary Art in Lyons, France

Dialogue of cultures, EXPO 2000, Hannover, Germany

1999          <<REWIND>>FAST FORWARD, Van Reekum Museum, Appeldoorn, Netherlands

1998         Musée des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie, Paris France

Africa Africa, Tobu Museum of Art, Tokyo, Japan

1997         York College Art Gallery, Pennsylvania, USA

Ndebele Images Then and Now, National Arts Club, New York, USA

Oog op Zuidelijke Afrika, Berg en Dal, Holland

Portal to America, Installation, Spoleto Festival, Charelstown, South Carolina, USA

African Immigrant Folklife Festival, Washington D.C., USA

Exhibit Gallery, Philadelphia, USA

Mural for National Museum of Woman in the Arts, Washington D.C., USA

Ndebele Images Then and Now, National Arts Club, New York, USA

1996         Parish Gallery - Georgetown, Washington D.C., USA

Exhibition for the Congressional Black Caucus, Washington, D.C., USA

Armour J. Blackburn Centre, Howard University, Washington, D.C., USA

World Bank, Washington, D.C., USA

Mural - Ministry of Finance Building, Pretoria, South Africa

Mural - Alexandra Township Stadium, Johannesburg

1995         BMW Art Car and paintings Exhibition, Sydney, Australia

Group show, Market Theatre, Johannesburg

1994         BMW Art Car Collection, National Museum of Woman in the Arts, Washington D.C., USA

Mural for National Museum of Woman in Arts, Washington D.C., USA

Mural - Ndebele College of Education, Kwandebele, South Africa

Mural - African Festival, Lisbon, Portugal

Mural - European Inventive Business Travel Meetings Exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland

Out of Africa, Musée des Beaux Arts de Nantes, France

1993         Painted Pillars in Art Gallery, Nantes, France

1992         Fire Screen, Civic Theatre, Johannesburg

BMW Art Car, Documentra 9, Kassel, Germany

Africa Hoy, Groninger Museum, Holland

Africa Hoy, Cultural Centre of Contemporary Art, Mexico City, Mexico 

Comme des Garçons, Tokyo, Japan; New York, USA and Paris, France

Out of Africa, Gallery Saatchi, London, UK

1991         BMW Art Car, Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town

Painting Columns in Building, Tokyo, Japan

Ny Afrikansk Billed Kunst, Copenhagen, Denmark

Caravan( trailer ) Auto Show, Lavante, Paris, France

European Inventive Business Travel Meetings Exhibition, Lisboa, Portugal

Geneva International Exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland

Fashion Collection, Tokyo, Japan

Africa Hoy, Centro Atlantico de Arte Moderna, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

1990         Caravan ( trailer ) Auto Show, Lavante, France

Bordeaux Festival, Bordeaux, France

Mural Painting, Rosebank Shopping Centre, South Africa 

Mural Painting, Johannesburg School, South Africa  

1989         Group show, Centre de la Villette, Paris, France

Les Magiciens de la Terre, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France

Fine Arts Museum, Angouleme, France

Mural Painting, Musée des Beaux Arts – Museum for African Art, Paris, France

Awards:

2006         The Order of Ikhamanga, Silver - Government of South Africa

2001         Arts and Culture Award,  Art Promotion

2001         Pan African Broadcasting, Heritage and Achievement Award

2001          Radio Ndebele Award

1999          Mpumalanga Arts and Culture Award

1997         Nassau County, NY, USA,  Commondation

1997         Village of Hampstead, NY, USA Citation

1997         Ministry of Culture and Communication, Centre de la Villette, France

1996         Mpumalanga Premiers Award

1988         Radio Ndebele Award

Collections:

Virginia Museum of Fine Art, USA

Meulensteen Art Museum, Bratislava

Johnnic Communications Management Services Collection, Johannesburg

Museée National d'art Modrene, Centre Pompidou, France

National Gallery, Cape Town

Musée des Arts d'Afrique et Océanie, Paris, France

Bothabelo Museum, South Africa

BMW Car Collection, Germany

RE:CM Collection, Cape Town

Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria

Musee des Arts d’Afrique et d’Oceanie, Paris, France

Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan

Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, South Africa

Museum Bochum, Bochum, Germany

Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum, Bratislava, Slovakia

Botshabelo Museum, South Africa

World Bank Collection, USA

BHP Billiton Collection, Johannesburg, South Africa

BOE Bank, Cape Town, South Africa

Esther's work is also in numerous private collections in South Africa and abroad
 

Publications: (info. provided by www.vgallery.co.za)

Courtney-Clarke, M. 1986. Ndebele. London: Thames & Hudson. Reprinted in 2002. (ISBN 0-500-28387-7)

Loots, AG and De Jager, FR. 2003. Esther Mahlangu. Cape Town: Vgallery. (ISBN 0-620-30600-9)

Magnin, A and Soulillou, J. 1996. Contemporary Art of Africa.  London: Thames & Hudson. (ISBN 0-500-01713-1)

Magubane, P. and Klopper, S. 2001. African Heritage, Arts and Crafts. Cape Town : Struik. ( ISBN 1868725162) 

Magubane, P. and Klopper, S. 2001. African Heritage. Cape Town: Struik. (ISBN 1 86872583 9)

Mountain, A. 1995. Ndebele Artist Nation. Indaba, Mini Curio. Cape Town: Struik. (ISBN 1 86825848 3)

Parise, A. 2010. Esther Mahlangu La Regina d'Africa, Sarenco Foundation, Italy

Steeds, L & Others. 2013, Making Art Global ( Part 2 ), 'Magiciens dela Terre' 1989, Afterall Books, London : ( ISBN 978-1-84638-118-8

Grenier, C. Modernites plurielles 1905-1970, Centre Pompidou : ( ISBN 9-782844 26622 4)

2008

Kauffman, Kyle D. ESTHER MAHLANGU: REACQUIRING (exhibition catalogue). Kyle Kauffman Gallery: New York, NY

2007

Friedman, Hazel, ‘Esther Mahlangu’, ArtSouthAfrica, v.6.2, November

‘I Color dell’Africa’. La Stampa, August 11

Magnin, A. [Curator]. WHY AFRICA? THE PIGOZZI COLLECTION (ex.cat.), Electa: Milan, Italy

‘Why africa?’, Artdaily.org, August 30

2006

Bernard, Herman. GEE’S BEND THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE QUILT. Tinwood Books: Atlanta, GA

Kotze, Petro, ‘Mpumalunga honours its brave heroes’, Lowvelder, December 14

[Madeline (L.) & Martin (M.) curators & eds.] PICASSO AND AFRICA, Cape Town, South Africa, pp. 155-156

Pigozzi, J & Magnin, A. 100% AFRICA. (ex.cat.) TF Editores & FMGB Guggenheim Bilbao Museoa, Bilbao, Spain

Turok, K. LIFE AND SOUL, portraits of women who move South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa

2005

AFRICAN ART NOW: Masterpieces from the Jean Pigozzi Collection, (Exhibition Catalogue), pp. 16, 30, 42, 53, 138-41, 205-6, Merrell: London, UK and New York, NY

ARTS OF AFRICA, The Contemporary Collection of Jean Pigozzi, pp. 292-5. Grimaldi Forum: Monaco.

Domino, C. and Magnin, A., ‘L’Art africain contemporain’, pp. 32-37, Editions Scala: Paris, France. pp. 32-7

‘Esther Mahlangu’, Capetowntoday.co.za

Keck, Gayle, ‘In South Africa, a brush with a tradition’, The Los Angeles Times, April 17

Magubane, Peter & Klopper, Sandra. AMANDEBELE. Sunbird Publishing Ltd: Cape Town, South Africa, pp. 144-5

Sischy, Ingrid, ‘Africa in their eyes: from the Collection of Jean Pigozzi’, Vanity Fair, December

2004

Bedform, Emma, A DECADE OF DEMOCRACY: SOUTH AFRICAN ART 1994-2004. Double Storey Books, Iziko: South African National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa, pp.4

[Golinski (H.G.) et. al. eds.] NEW IDENTITIES, zeitgenossische kunst aus Sudafrika, pp. 180-88, Museum Bochum, Hatje Cantz Verlag, Ostfildern-Ruit, Germany

Martin, Jean-Hubert, ‘The Reception of African Art’ in AFRICA REMIX (exhibition catalog), pp. 43, Hatje Cantz: Dusseldorf, Germany.

2003

De Jager, FR and Loots, AG. ESTHER MAHALANGU. Vgallery: Cape Town, South Africa

Pleasant, Amelia. ‘At Long Last: Esther Mahlangu Stands Alone’, ArtThrob, December

2002

Marshall, Sabine. ‘Sites of identity and resistance: urban community murals and rural wall decoration in South Africa’, African Arts, September 22

UBUNTU: ARTS ET CULTURES D’AFRIQUE DU SUD (ex.cat.) Musee National des Arts d’Afrique et d’Oceanie, Paris, France

2001

AFRICA AFRICA Vibrant New Art from a Dynamic Continent (ex.cat.), Published and Edited by The Tobu Museum of Art. Tokyo, Japan.

Arte Africana Contemporanea, Contemporary African Art (ex.cat). Publisher: l’Artiere Edizionitalia.

Eisenhofer, Stefan [Ed.] TRACING THE RAINBOW, Arnoldsche: Stuttgart, Germany, p.84

Hoard, Adrienne, ‘The Commodification of Art: Ndebele Women in the Stream of Change’, Cultural Survival Quarterly, Winter, pp. 37-40

Magubane, P and Klopper, S. AFRICAN HERITAGE, ARTS AND CRAFTS. Struik (Pry) Ltd., Cape Town, South Africa

TRIBAL SOUL, METROPOLITAN BODY (ex.cat.). Galleria Spazia: Bologna, Italy, pp. 88-9

Visona, Monica Blackmun et. al. A HISTORY OF ART IN AFRICA, Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated: New York, NY , back cover

2000

Heartney, Eleanor, ‘An Adieu to Cultural Purity’, Art in America, October

Human Sciences Research Council, WOMEN MARCHING INTO THE 21ST CENTURY. HSRC Press: Cape Town, South Africa, p.178

Mack, John [Ed.] AFRICA: ARTS & CULTURE. Oxford University Press: New York, NY, p.196

Magubane, Peter, AFRICAN RENAISSANCE. Struik Publishers Ltd: Cape Town, South Africa: pp. 136-7

Riding, Alan. ‘Arts Abroad’, The New York Times, July 5

1999

[Rabie (B.) curator] <<REWIND>> FAST FORWARD.ZA New Work from South Africa (ex.cat), pp. 59-62, 94, Van Reekum Museum, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands

1997

Geers, Kendell. [Ed.], CONTEMPORARY SOUTH AFRICAN ART: THE GENCOR COLLECTION, Jonathan Bull Publishers (Pty) Ltd: Johannesburg, South Africa

1996

Magnin, A and Soulillou, J. CONTEMPORARY ART OF AFRICA, pp. 13, 16, 46-48, Harry N. Abrams: New York, NY.

1995

Mountain, A. NDEBELE ARTIST NATION. Indaba, Mini Curio. Struik (Pry) Ltd., Cape Town.

Powell, Ivor. NDEBELE. Struik (Pry) Ltd: Cape Town, South Africa.

1994

Duke, L. The living art of Esther Mahlangu, The Washington Post, Sept 4, 1994

1992

Brenson, Michael. ‘Review/Art: Juxtaposing the New From All Over’, The New York Times, May 20

De Jager, EJ, IMAGES OF MAN: CONTEMPORARY SOUTH AFRICAN ART AND ARTISTS. Fort Hare University Press: East London, South Africa, p.196

[Magnin, A.,curator]. AFRICA HOY (ex.cat.), Centro Atlantico de Arte Moderno, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain

1989

Alexander, L & Cohen, E. 150 SOUTH AFRICAN PAINTINGS, past and present.

Lewison, Jeremy, ‘Magiciens de la Terre’, Burlington Magazine, Vol. 131, No. 1037, August

MAGICIENS DE LA TERRE. (ex.cat.) Editions du Centre Pompidou, France

1986

Courtney-Clarke, M. 1986. NDEBELE. London: Thames & Hudson.