Ndebele artist praised by French consulate
“She is one of South Africa’s most globally acclaimed artists and is considered by many to be a national treasure.”
The French embassy in Pretoria awarded South African artist Esther Mahlangu the Officer in the French Order of Arts and Letters on Friday.
The order was established in 1957 and is awarded by the French ministry of Culture.
It recognises significant contributions to arts and literature in France and abroad in one of three categories – knight, officer and commander.
Mahlangu received the order during the 2019 Bastille Day celebrations in Pretoria by France’s ambassador to South Africa, Christophe Farnaud.
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Farnaud praised Mahlangu’s traditional Ndebele wall paintings and beadwork, which she learnt from her mother and grandmother as a child.
“In 1986, while she was working at an Ndebele cultural village in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, the artworks she created on her house made a strong impression on French researchers from Paris,” said Farnaud.
“This led to her being invited to create murals for an exhibition of international contemporary art in France.”
Upon her return to South Africa in 1990, she began to paint murals for public venues, soon followed by locations in Europe and the US.
It said her work has since been exhibited in more than a dozen countries.
“She is one of South Africa’s most globally acclaimed artists and is considered by many to be a national treasure.”
“This award is all the more deserved for the efforts you have made during your life to share with the world your cultural heritage – the rich, deep, broad heritage of the Ndebele people. Your graphic murals have become icons of South African art, and are now known across the world,” he said.
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South African citizens who have been awarded the order are Johnny Clegg in 1991, William Kentridge in 2013, Gregory Maqoma in 2017 and Zanele Muholi in 2017.
Bastille Day marks the beginning of the French Revolution with the storming of the ancient royal prison fortress on 14 July 1789.
#DidYouKnow that the French National Day celebrates the beginning of the French Revolution on 14 July 1789, with the Storming of the Bastille prison, but also the Fête de la Fédération on 14 July 1790 ? #BastilleDaySA 🇫🇷🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/9fMEvACTmA
— France in South Africa (@FrenchEmbassyZA) July 12, 2019
Thank you @FrenchEmbassyZA for a very nice and warm Bastille Day and for honoring #EstherMahlangu Good luck in the future Christophe! https://t.co/UW1nwDk9Y5
— Cecilia Julin (@AmbassadorJulin) July 13, 2019
A night with Dr. Esther Mahlangu #esthermahlangu pic.twitter.com/N74kL5nZzg
— Shakazuuu (@Shakazuuuu) May 23, 2019
To begin #BastilleDaySA, the African Artists for Development fund offers to the Embassy of France in South Africa “The Flying Ship”, an artwork from one of the greatest South African artist Willie Bester, involved in the fight against apartheid. 🇫🇷🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/KRj3Bfpi96
— France in South Africa (@FrenchEmbassyZA) July 12, 2019
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