Esther MAHLANGU Ndebele Abstract 21 - 2014 Acrylic on canvas Signed and dated lower left "ESTHER Mahlangu 2014". 94.50 × 124.50 cm Acrylic on canvas; signed and dated lower left 37.20 × 49.02 in; Source : Acquired directly from the artist by the current owner Esther MAHLANGU Born in 1935 in South Africa, Esther Mahlangu was the eldest child in a southern Ndebele family. Introduced to painting by her mother and grandmother, she prepared her pigments and painted the outside of houses. The repeated geometric shapes, the bright colours and the binding of the whole by a thin black border create a contrast with the white background. It's a constant, complex repetition of geometric shapes that at first glance appear simple. In 1989, she was one of two women exhibited at the "Les magiciens de la Terre" exhibition at the Centre Pompidou. Esther Mahlangu boldly combines modernity and tradition, as demonstrated by her African Art Car for BMW in 1994. Her works are part of the Jean Pigozzi Collection and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in the United States. Since 2010, she has returned to live in her native region and run a school for young girls where she passes on her knowledge. She has become a key figure in South African art. Born in 1935 in South Africa, Esther Mahlangu is the eldest of a southern Ndebele family. Introduced to painting by her mother and grandmother, she prepared her pigments and painted the exteriors of houses. Repeated geometric shapes, vivid colours and a thin black border create a contrast with the white background. It's a constant, complex repetition of geometric shapes that at first glance appear simple. In 1989, she was one of two women exhibited at the "Les magiciens de la Terre" exhibition at the Centre Pompidou. Esther Mahlangu boldly combines modernity and tradition, as demonstrated by her African Art Car for BMW in 1994. Her works are part of the Jean Pigozzi Collection and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in the USA. Since the 2010s, she has returned to live in her native region and run a school for young girls where she passes on her knowledge. She has become a leading figure in South African art.