Esther Mahlangu is a South African artist who hails from the Ndebele nation in Gauteng, located north of Pretoria.
Famously known for her large scale contemporary paintings with a vibrant play on colours.
“To paint is in my heart and in my blood,” she says as documented by Forbes. Even though she is unschooled, she however has been able to make a name for herself over the years and stands out among South Africa’s notable artists with exhibitions done in some of the most notable museums around the world.
Ndebele women are known for their artistry with the use of vibrant colours with unique meanings. Five main colours are said to be represented in their paintings including; red and dark red, yellow to gold, a sky blue, green, and sometimes pink.
The colours give an intensified symbolic meaning to the Ndebele and they can mean status or power of the home’s owners, offer prayer, announce a marriage in the home, or can represent a current protest.
According to history, despite it being a patriarchal society, the community’s artistic heritage is handed down from mother to daughter; this sees as a young woman upon reaching the age of puberty, withdrawing from the male society for three months and is taught the ceremonial patterns of Ndebele beadwork
According to her, “When I am painting my heart is very wide, it reaches out. It makes me feel very, very happy.”
Esther was conferred with an honorary doctorate degree by the University of Johannesburg on 9th April, 2018.
