Projections of Harmony — Louvre Abu Dhabi

As part of the landmark exhibition Kings and Queens of Africa: Forms and Figures of Power — the first exhibition in the UAE dedicated to African art, held at the Louvre Abu Dhabi in Abu Dhabi — Dr Esther Mahlangu's Projections of Harmony illuminated the museum's facade and architecture with vibrant Ndebele geometric patterns.

At night, the Louvre Abu Dhabi Park transformed into an outdoor gallery as Dr Mahlangu's monumental projection brought her signature Ndebele design onto the museum's facade and walls, casting her centuries-old geometric tradition across one of the world's most celebrated cultural institutions.

Kings and Queens of Africa: Forms and Figures of Power

Inaugurated in January 2025, the exhibition marked a milestone as the first exhibition of its kind in the UAE and the region dedicated to African art. Presented in partnership with the Musée du quai Branly–Jacques Chirac and France Muséums, it showcased over 350 objects from West, Central, Southern, and East Africa — royal portraits, sculptures, ceremonial objects, and textiles — exploring the connection between art, power, and identity across Africa from the 11th to the 21st century.

The exhibition was curated by Hélène Joubert (General Curator and Head of the African Collections at the Musée du quai Branly–Jacques Chirac), El Hadji Malick Ndiaye, and Cindy Olohou, with support from the Louvre Abu Dhabi curatorial team.

Manuel Rabaté, Director of Louvre Abu Dhabi, said: "In line with our commitment to presenting pivotal moments in the history of art, Kings and Queens of Africa: Forms and Figures of Power offers a profound exploration of Africa's rich artistic heritage. Africa, as the cradle of humanity and a continent with rich and diverse traditions, has long been a source of resilience and creative expression."

A First for African Art in the Region

By projecting her Ndebele patterns onto the Louvre Abu Dhabi, Dr Mahlangu carried an ancient, matrilineal art form onto a global architectural canvas — extending her decades-long practice of translating traditional Ndebele design into new contexts, from murals and canvas to a BMW Art Car, a Rolls-Royce Phantom, and now the luminous surface of a museum.