“When I am painting, my heart is very wide. It reaches out to everything and everyone.”
Get to know internationally-lauded Ndebele artist Esther Mahlangu. Between the covers of Esther Mahlangu: To Paint Is In My Heart, a must-have for lovers of South African art, the artist reveals her creative processes.
Celebrating her 90th birthday this year, South African Ndebele artist Esther Mahlangu has been creating art since the age of ten. Over an illustrious career, she has collaborated with global brands including BMW and Rolls-Royce, and today has work in the permanent collections of Centre Pompidou (Paris), Brooklyn Museum (New York), National Museum of Women in the Arts (Washington), and more. Described as ‘an inspiration’ by our very own Trevor Noah, Esther Mahlangu: To Paint Is In My Heart (Thames & Hudson) is an image-led exploration of Mahlangu’s visual processes and a look at the global impact of decades worth of her work. What follows is an extract from In Conversation: Thomas Girst, Azu Nwagbogu and Hans Ulrich Obrist, with Esther Mahlangu, a chapter in the book.
Would you share with us the origins of your journey as an artist?
I started creating art when I was a young girl. My family, particularly my mother and grandmother, were the ones who introduced me to Ndebele house painting. They used to paint the walls of our houses with our traditional designs. Those vibrant geometric patterns and bold colours fascinated me, and I wanted to create them too. As young girls, we used to play and imitate them, practising with resolve and showing off our skills. From a young age, we were being watched, and those with talent were encouraged and taught to refine their skills, not just with pencils but with brushes and traditional inks. My grandmother and mother were both skilled Ndebele artists. I would watch in awe as they painted the walls of our homes. It was like magic, and I couldn’t resist the urge to join in.
Could you tell us a bit more about the colours you use in your artwork?
The process of gathering and creating colours is indeed challenging. We would find rich natural colours by the river and mix them with cow or other animal dung at home. The cow dung acts to hold the paint firmly, so it is not easily washed away by rain. These earth colours are the foundation of our traditional palette. ‘Isarulsna’, earth colours. They come from the land of our ancestors. They are shaped and coloured by time deep inside the earth’s core. When I touch them, I feel closer to my ancestors!
Talking about melodies, when looking at your work one can’t help but think of music due to its lyrical and repetitive qualities.
Sometimes the colours speak like a song, they speak together and it’s as if I am adding a melody with each brushstroke. Some people see it as spiritual but, to me, it’s about creating harmony with the colours, much like in music. I paint what is in my heart and what my heart tells me. I also paint what my brain tells me because I know it comes from deep down in the ancestral pools. When heart and mind agree, I know my spirit is in the right place. I paint to honour my ancestors!
Could you share the story behind the colourful decoration of Ndebele houses and its relation to the history of the Ndebele people?
The tradition of painting our houses in bright colours has its origins in our history where, during a time of conflict, the Ndebele people were forced into hiding in a cave. It was there, while besieged and running out of food, that they planned for the future and the safety of their homes. Each year, we pay tribute to those who lived in that cave and the ideas that emerged there.
What is art to you? Do you have a definition of it?
Art is something that brings joy and pride when I look at it. When others see my art and feel hope or happiness it feels like a celebration, a ceremony of life’s beauty. I laugh with myself sometimes when I work. I refuse to be distracted. I laugh inside my heart and mind. To those who want something from me, I offer hope. When I look at myself and my work, I see happiness and joy, like the early morning. It’s about sharing that feeling of contentment and celebration with others.
Esther Mahlangu: To Paint Is In My Heart is published by Thames & Hudson and is available at leading bookstores.
