Esther Mahlangu

Esther Mahlangu (1935- ) is best known for large-scale works that reference her Ndebele heritage, including vibrant and geometric influences from Ndebele clothing and jewelry designs. Mahlangu gained worldwide recognition in 1989, when her work was included in an exhibition at the Pompidou Centre in Paris: Magiciens de la Terre (Magicians of the World). Her "African Art Car" commissioned by BMW in 1991, featured Ndebele patterns and was exhibited in 1994 at Washington, D.C.'s National Museum of Women in the Arts. She was the first non-Western and female designer to present work on one of these art cars.