Over the years, the media has narrowly described Dr Esther Mahlangu—affectionately known as Mam Esther—as a Ndebele artist, an African artist, and a cultural icon. However, from painting Iman Bowie’s nude body and a BMW art car in the early 1990s to tackling mediums that include motorbikes, bicycles, skateboards, canvas, mannequins, AI—and the latest colour change technologies—her openness to collaborate and explore new mediums have cemented her profile as one of the leading international contemporary artists of our time.
*The views of the above article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Africa Speaks 4 Africa or its editorial team.