Esther Mahlangu
Untitled
About the SessionThe Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees Benefit Auction forms an integral part of Strauss & Co’s ongoing partnership with one of South Africa’s leading arts festivals. Now in its fifth year, the auction reflects a shared commitment to supporting the visual arts and creating meaningful opportunities for artists and collectors. Held at Stellenbosch Town Hall and accompanied by a curated preview exhibition, the auction brings together works by both emerging and established artists. Its intention is to encourage new and seasoned collectors to engage with and invest in South African art, while expanding the market and improving access to the work of leading local artists. At its core, the auction places artistic excellence at the centre while seeking to create greater visibility and recognition for contemporary artistic practice.
LOT 36
Esther Mahlangu
Untitled
Incl. Buyer's Premium & VAT
About this Item
signed and dated in the image; numbered 37/80 in pencil in the margin
Notes
Printed by Harwood Printmakers, London.
Accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from 34Fine Art, signed by the artist in 2015.
Dr Esther Mahlangu is a multi-award-winning visual artist, and a much loved South African cultural ambassador. She was born in 1935, and has been painting since she was 10 years old. The bold Ndebele-inspired artworks for which she is globally acclaimed grace many of the world’s most respected museum, private, public, and corporate collections. Many experts believe that any important Pan African Contemporary collection cannot be considered complete without including one of her works.
Mahlangu grew up outside Middelburg, Mpumalanga, and learned the art of Ndebele wall painting and beadwork from her mother and grandmother. She first came to national and international prominence when she painted an installation of brightly coloured traditional geometric designs with strong black outlines for the Magiciens de la Terre (Magicians of the Earth) exhibition in Paris in 1989. She was invited to paint a design on a BMW 525i (as part of the BMW Art Car Project) in 1991 and in 2020 painted panels for a Rolls-Royce Phantom. In 2018 Mahlangu was presented with two honorary doctorates. In 2019, she was appointed an Officer of Arts and Letters, which is France's highest decoration for contribution to the arts, the Department of Arts and Culture published a book in her honour, and she received an award from the United Nations in Johannesburg. She also paints her characteristic designs on canvas at a smaller scale and teaches traditional art skills to a new generation of young artists at her art school in Mabhoko, Mpumalanga.
Exhibited
The original painting was exhibited at UCT Irma Stern Museum, Cape Town, Esther Mahlangu 80, 2015, during the celebration of the artist's 80th birthday.
The British Museum, London, South Africa: The Art of a Nation, October 2017.
Literature
Zed Retief (ed) (2016) Esther Mahlangu 80, Cape Town: 34FineArt, the original painting is illustrated in colour on page 47.
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