Esther Mahlangu: Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu mural by Esther MahlanguSerpentine
Esther Mahlangu
Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu, 2024
Serpentine North Garden
Hans Ulrich Obrist (HUO) on the connection between colour and music, and the mirroring of musical composition in Mahlangu's artistic process.
When I visited Esther Mahlangu’s studio, it became clear that she really connects the harmony of colours to sound. For her, colours come together in a harmonious melody and they are all related. She told us ‘This harmony is akin to visual music, where each colour must complement the others to create a beautiful composition.’
Natalia Grabowska (NG): Mahlangu emphasises harmony in colour, heart, mind, and spirit. How do these concepts align with your curatorial approach, especially for art with cultural significance?
HUO: It’s important that her art creates this harmony, empathy and a significance which is both local and global. In terms of Esther Mahlangu, her work is very much about what Glissant says, it is most deeply rooted in the Ndebele culture, but at the same time she puts cultures in contact with each other.
NG: Considering Mahlangu's work at the Botshabelo Museum, how can art transform spaces and preserve cultural heritage?
HUO: The Botshabelo Museum is very important, as it shows the relevance of museums and cultural spaces. When she arrived at the Botshabelo Museum, it was just built. It was she and her friends, who came to add colours to the museum walls and make it vibrant and alive. It was like planting seeds for the future – and it’s such a beautiful description of what a museum can be.
NG: Mahlangu transitioned to acrylic paint. How does blending traditional and modern techniques evolve Ndebele art?
HUO: Esther’s energising work has been created with very traditional techniques – she frequently paints with feathers and uses natural pigments. She then started using acrylic paints, which she called ‘a walk with difficulty’, because the colours are all part of memory and her aim is to deploy and apply them effectively. Acrylic paint gave her new, different possibilities.
NG: Mahlangu's art was displayed at Magiciens de la terre. What impact did presenting her art outside its traditional context have on global appreciation of Ndebele art?
HUO: It was an important moment – in fact it’s the first time I encountered her work. For that show, she recreated her house with the painted facade. I think that it was important for Esther, because with Magiciens de la terre she could reach with her art audiences outside of South Africa for the first time.
NG: Mahlangu values family and guiding youth. How can the art world better support intergenerational knowledge transfer in art communities?
HUO: Esther learned the traditional painting techniques from her grandmother and mother, and then she has taught generations of younger artists. We need to find other ways how artists can transmit knowledge. The way Esther does it is a beautiful example because she does it through her daily practice in her village.
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