Esther paints NY red

18 November 2010 - 22:55 By MABUYANE KEKANA
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The Ndebele people are renowned for their love of bright colours. From the houses to the clothes they wear, you can spot a Ndebele woman from kilometres away.



Esther Mahlangu has taken Ndebele culture to the rest of the world and has won many accolades and awards for her work.

Her 1991 design of a BMW 525i is on display at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City from this week to May 15 next year.

Mahlangu uses the traditional painting technique of her African Ndebele tribe. The stylistically distinctive and well-known Ndebele patterns are created exclusively by the women of the tribe.

She is considered the leading representative of this art form, having achieved international acknowledgement.

Born in South Africa in 1936, Mahlangu was taught the traditional painting technique of the Ndebele tribe by her mother.

She upholds the traditions of her tribe and already began passing on her knowledge to her daughter many years ago.

By painting the BMW 525i, she has passed on her tribe's traditional means of expression to an object of contemporary technology.

In order to develop a feel for the completely new medium, she initially painted the door of another BMW before beginning with the design of the spectacular Art Car.

Within one week she had transformed the car into a masterpiece of African Ndebele art.

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