You might assume that the unique brightly coloured shapes seen on this here is the work of a contemporary artist, but the patterns and graphic elements are in fact what Ndebele women in South Africa traditionally decorate their houses with.

The widespread use of these traditional patterns could probably be traced back to 1991, when BMW commissioned Ndebele artist Esther Mahlangu to customise the then-newly launched 525i as the twelfth BMW Art Car. Other artists previously linked to the project include Alexander Calder, Andy Warhol, David Hockney and Jeff Koons. These renowned participants certainly caught the public’s attention, and eventually brought them to Mahlangu and her art.

Today Esther Mahlangu is an internationally acclaimed artist in her own right. Recently, she once again collaborated with the automaker to refine a BMW 7 Series, and the 525i sedan she decorated is now one of the 200 exhibits in the current South Africa: the art of a Nation exhibition at the British Museum. Without a doubt, Mahlangu is definitely one of the key artists that is helping to bring unique local style to a world-wide audience.