Dr. Esther Mahlangu turns 91 today. Google Arts & Culture has launched the first online retrospective of her work, adding more than 45 stories and a rich archive covering her art, life and legacy for a global audience.
The missing years
The project began when the curator, who has worked closely with Mahlangu and her family for years, noted a gap in the historical record. The archives held large-scale murals, intimate pieces and rare materials, but nothing from before 1980. Crucial parts of her history were absent.
That void prompted a search for new ways to tell her full story. The team worked with Mahlangu, Nontobeko Ntombela and the Google team to fill the gap. They documented a missing period of her history, from when she started painting at age 10 until her first documented works in 1980.
Using AI to recreate memory
One story captured during the process was the moment she discovered her talent for painting as a 10-year-old using feathers instead of a brush. These memories became the source material for the work.
Following the methodology from the synthetic memories initiative and using archival material, the team generated still images based on Mahlangu’s recollections. They then used Veo to turn the images into videos that brought her early days to life.
The archive
The stories also contribute to the online archive on Google Arts & Culture. More than 45 exhibitions, curated in collaboration with Art of Contemporary Africa, Iziko Museums of South Africa, the British Museum, the Jean Pigozzi Collection, the National Museum of Women in the Arts and Serpentine, tell the story of how she came to be known in the world, through her artwork, archives, Street View and more.
What it means
For Mahlangu, the project means her early life is finally recorded. For the public, it offers a chance to see how a pioneer shaped global contemporary art. The exhibition is available at goo.gle/esther-mahlangu.
