Esther Mahlangu was born in 1935 in Middelburg, South Africa. He began painting at just ten years old under the guidance of his mother and grandmother, according to a deep-rooted tradition of his people of origin, the Ndebele tribe. A painting that wants to pay homage and keep alive the centuries-old and profound legacy of its roots while abstracting the original painting of the Ndebele patterns.

Esther Mahlangu experienced international success with her participation in the collective “Magiciens de la Terre” at the Center Pompidou in 1989, an exhibition that brought the artist to the limelight. In 1991 she became the first woman and the first African artist to be commissioned to paint a BMW Art Car, joining the list of artists such as Jeff Koons, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and other art greats.

Esther Mahlangu’s works are sought after by world-renowned museums such as MoMA and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum as well as the Center Pompidou. Esther Mahlangu continues to live and work in her village in South Africa.