BY: PRUDENCE NHVINGO
On Tuesday, 16th of April 2024, South African culture ambassador and a greater achiever, Dr Esther Mahlangu was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of South African at Muckleneuk Campus in Pretoria.
She was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics (Honoris Causa) in recognition of her mathematical skills she uses mathematics in her paintings and beadwork. Dr Mahlangu has opened an art school in her village whereby she teaches the traditional Ndebele style of painting and beadwork to both children and adults also as way to make sure that the tradition of Ndebele paintings
and beadworks lives forever.
According to the University of South African Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Puleng Lenkabula they recognize Dr Mahlangu’s work as something that is more than art and they believe that her work is a form of mathematics and people should recognize her work as such. The university has the duty to ensure that indigenous knowledge system do not play fraud when it comes to recognizing such work.
Dr Esther Mahlangu is one of the famous artists in the world because of her artwork and has also travelled the world to show case her work. With her colourful and geometric artwork, Mahlangu has shown how art can connect people across cultures as she was once given a project in 1999 to decorate a BMW 525i car and the British Airways in traditional Ndebele design, the car was the first African art car, and it was taken to the USA and UK as a display, and this is how she her art connect cultures.
Dr Esther Mahlangu is described by South Africans and internationals as someone who is a good self-taught artist, someone who is an amazing example how art can rise above boundaries, someone who’s work is more tightly packed and more engaging. And someone who does more than the people on her age and her competitors does as she also has her own different way to frame her pattern design.
