JOHANNESBURG (AP) — A boldly patterned BMW stands at the entrance of the Wits Arts Museum in the vibrant Johannesburg neighborhood of Braamfontein.Its bright geometric shapes are part of 89-year-old South African artist Esther Mahlangu ’s unmistakable style. The car is the centerpiece of an exhibition honoring her and her work.The BMW, commissioned by the German manufacturer in 1991, is among Mahlangu’s most well-known works and has been returned to South Africa this year after more than 30 years abroad.Exhibition curator Nontobeko Ntombela also has included pieces that document the struggles of Nelson Mandela, who was released after almost three decades in prison and became South Africa's first Black president when the country transitioned from white minority rule to democracy in 1994.These include a letter Mahlangu wrote to Mandela thanking him for the sacrifices he made for the country.She is respected for persevering with art at a time when Black artists, especially women, were hardly acknowledged.“Mahlangu…

A retrospective exhibition in South Africa is honoring Esther Mahlangu, a local artist from a rural background who has become internationally known for her colorful work in traditional Ndebele painting.