Ndebele artist Esther Mahlangu, celebrated internationally for her striking decoration of a BMW car using traditional geometric forms, has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics by Unisa.
According to Unisa, Mahlangu is a remarkable example of how art can transcend boundaries and connect people across cultures, News24 reports.
Unisa said in a statement: ‘Her paintings are both colourful and geometric. It is generally accepted that, although seemingly simple, the geometric abstractions in her art are underscored by the constant repetition and symmetry of such simple shapes that make the whole work quite complex.’
News24 quotes Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Puleng LenkaBula as saying: ‘Here at Unisa, we recognise Dr Mahlangu’s work as something that transcends art. It is our firm conviction that her work is a form of mathematics and should thus be recognised as such.’
She added: ‘As an African university, we have a responsibility to recognise and affirm our indigenous knowledge systems and to ensure that they do not play second fiddle to other knowledge systems in the world.’
In 1991, Mahlangu became the first woman artist to be commissioned to decorate a BMW car in traditional Ndebele design, a commission previously accorded to major international artists, Andy Warhol and David Hockney.
The car, a BMW 525i, is acknowledged as the first ‘African Art Car’, and was exhibited at the National Museum of Women in Arts in Washington DC, and at the British Museum in London.
[Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/11561957@N06/36515590832/in/photostream/]