Ndebele Artist in Demand with Global Luxury Brands…and She’s 81!

Eighty-one year old Esther Mahlangu from Mpumalanga, South Africa, has joined forces with BMW in Munich, Germany, for the second time, to refine a BMW Individual 7 Series. And she’s been invited by a luxury vodka brand to collaborate on a global HIV/AIDS initiative.

Mahlangu says her “heart was full of joy when BMW asked me again to paint for them.” The last time was 25 years ago when she created artwork on the 525i BMW Sedan.

This time, the world-renowned Ndebele artist collaborated with BMW Individual Manufaktur to transform a luxury sedan into an incredible work of art, painting on the real wood interior trims which were sent over to her in South Africa. Watch the video below.

The unique vehicle and work of art will be on public display at the Frieze Art Fair in October in Regent’s Park, London. A silent auction will be held, with proceeds going to charity. Other artwork by Mahlangu will also be on display.

Mahlangu, who was born in Middelburg in 1935, paints with passion and is desperate for her culture to not die.

“To paint is in my heart and it’s in my blood,” she say. She started at 10. “The way I paint was taught to me by my mother and my grandmother.”

She says the patterns she’s used on the BMW parts “marry tradition to the essence of BMW. When BMW sent me the panels to paint, I could see the design in my head and I just wanted to get started!”

South African President Congratulates Mahlangu for Global HIV/AIDS Campaign

South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has also congratulated Mahlangu, along with John Legend, for being invited by a luxury vodka brand to collaborate in a global HIV/AIDS initiative, the Red Campaign.

A recipient of South Africa’s National Order of Ikhamanga for her excellent contribution to the development of the indigenous Ndebele arts, Mahlangu’s contribution to the #MakeTheDifference campaign will be to engrave her famous Ndebele prints to the design of the bottles of the brand.   

President Zuma said: “We are immensely proud of the highly talented Mama Mahlangu.”

Mahlangu says: “My art has taken me all over the world and I have seen many places, I have painted many walls and objects and my work is in many museums but I am still Esther Mahlangu from Mpumalanga in South Africa.”

UPDATE

Famous Ndebele artist Esther Mahlangu honoured with doctoral degree in South Africa