BOLD, BRIGHT NDEBELE PATTERNS WITH SOUTH AFRICAN ARTIST DR ESTHER MAHLANGU AT ALMINE RECH

MAHLANGU BEGAN PAINTING WHEN SHE WAS TEN YEARS OLD AND WAS TAUGHT THE NDEBELE PRACTICE OF MURAL PAINTING BY HER MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER

It is traditional for the women in the Ndebele community to paint the outside of their houses. They use natural pigments mixed with cow dung, and bright acrylic paints outlined with black lines, to make large geometric patterns on the outside walls of their homes. We loved all the different patterns, and the fact that Esther Mahlangu paints with a chicken feather!

We were inspired by her use of repeating shapes and patterns, and got to work creating our own Ndebele hut!