South African Visual Artist Dr. Esther Mahlangu Customises Unique Air Jordan 1 Sneakers Valued At R7.7 Million!
South African Visual Artist Dr. Esther Mahlangu Customises Unique Air Jordan 1 Sneakers Valued At R7.7 Million! It has been reported that a South African visual artist Dr. Esther Mahlangu has customised a unique pair of Air Jordan 1 sneakers. The sneakers were unveiled at the Expo 2020 Dubai and they are estimated to be valued around $500 000 (R7. 7million).
The post by Ndzavi Derrick read, “A unique pair of Air Jordan 1 sneakers customised by our Gogo Dr. Esther Mahlangu were unveiled at the Expo 2020 Dubai. They are valued at around $500,000 or R7.7 million. They’re going on a world tour where showcasing fees will pay for scholarships at Ayashisa Amateki academy.”
This shows that people around the world are indeed keen on learning about African cultures and traditions. The influence of the Ndebele designs has captivated people all around the world such that Dr. Esther Mahlangu’s work is now being appreciated globally. This also shows that Africans should be proud of their culture and traditions as this inspires the world to also appreciate the art, music and products that Africans have to offer.
Dr. Esther Mahlangu is a South African artist from the Ndebele nation. She is known for her bold large-scale contemporary paintings that reference her Ndebele heritage. Esther Mahlangu was conferred with an honorary doctorate by the University of Johannesburg, 9 April 2018. Mahlangu’s art references patterns found in clothing and jewellery of the Ndebele people. The patterns she uses are typically very colourful and geometric and her paintings are large in scale.
The art of Esther Mahlangu highlights the tension between local and global, between the anchor and detachment. Despite continuing to use the same “artistic vocabulary” closely tied to her traditions, Mahlangu has applied the designs to various objects including canvas, sculpture, ceramics, automobiles and airplanes. She has also collaborated with various brands like BMW, Fiat, EYTYS, Melissa’s, Beleverde, the British Museum and Rolls Royce.
