Projects

Since 1991, Esther Mahlangu and BMW have had a very special relationship having worked on multiple large collaborations including the BMW Art car collection, BMW Individual 7 series, Electric AI Canvas and the BMW 50th Anniversary logo.

Serpentine Unveils Large-Scale Mural by Esther Mahlangu
Esther Mahlangu's First public artwork in the UK

The launch of To Paint is in My Heart took place across two distinguished events. At the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, fans celebrated Mahlangu’s legacy with a book signing, while at Frieze, the BMW Lounge featured a curated tribute by actor and collector Russell Tovey, including art from his personal collection alongside two of Mahlangu’s own paintings. Both events highlighted her indelible influence on contemporary art, allowing attendees to experience her work and legacy up close.

In 2020, Dr Esther Mahlangu became the first artist to be invited to paint an artwork for the new Rolls-Royce flagship Phantom. Each Phantom was designed with a glass box, in the dashboard, allowing the owner to commission and display unique and highly personal works of art as a focal point of their Phantom’s interior.

In her monumental work, Ukuthula Makube Nawe (Peace Be With You), Dr. Esther

Mahlangu imparts a resonant message of peace that traverses cultural and national

boundaries. Debuting at SCOPE Miami, this towering artwork not only captivates visually but invites viewers to embrace a philosophy of peace and balance—qualities that have marked her seven-decade-long career as a custodian of Ndebele heritage and a global artistic voice.

Belvedere vodka approached Esther Mahlangu to collaborate, with John Legend, on a new campaign called #MakeTheDifference, during which they pledged to donate 50% of the profits from every limited- edition bottle sold to the Global Fund to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

In 2014 the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts commissioned Esther Mahlangu to paint two large murals to ensure a vibrant entrance to their African art galleries.