A History of Nelson Mandela's Art

Nelson Mandela was one of the world's leading political figures of the last 50 years, but there was something else he wasn't quite so well known for - his artwork. Coming to art late in life, in the early part of this century, Mandela's work was heavily influenced by his time in prison on Robben Island. After being released from jail in 1990, Mandela was elected South Africa's first black president in 1994. Mandela's many years on Robben Island inspired him to unite his nation, and his experiences there inspired his art too.

Mandela's drawings and paintings have not only become very important historically since his death late in 2013, but during his lifetime Mandela's artwork was sold to help raise money for children's charities in Africa. Highly valued, Mandela's artwork raised millions to help children on the continent.

One of Nelson Mandela's famous works of art is his pastel drawing from 2002, which was entitled The Hand of Africa. Part of Mandela's Impressions series, the drawing included a map of the African continent in the palm of the hand. While there were black and white and colour version of Impressions of Africa featuring many hands. The colour version represented the new 'rainbow nation' of South Africa - it was Mandela's vision to create a united South Africa that was free of the divisions of the past. Another very personal piece by Nelson Mandela is the drawing of Qunu, his home village. The village is also where the great man was buried.

Nelson Mandela created two series of works, which focused on his time on Robben Island, namely My Robben Island - Series I and Reflections of Robben Island - Series II. These are colourful works of art and not the bleak drawings we might expect. Though there are depictions of Mandela's cell and guard tower, there are also drawings of the lighthouse and church on Robben Island, as well as a drawing of the island's harbour.

Though many gifted artists have been inspired by Nelson Mandela enough to paint and draw him, artwork by Mandela himself will always be more valuable. Over the coming years and decades Nelson Mandela's artwork is also only likely to increase significantly in value. Mandela is arguably the most important figure in South African history, while few people have been a bigger instigator of positive change than him.

What you probably didn’t know about Belgravia gallery and Mandela art

Belgravia gallery

The Belgravia gallery is based on Maddox Street in the heart of the art district in Mayfair. The gallery has an emphasis on art for charity particularly funds for The Sebastian Hunter Memorial Trust. The gallery is run by mother and daughter team Anna Hunter and Laura Walford. 

The gallery offers advisory advice to both individual and corporate clients. The gallery works with clients to provide art which reflects personal style and taste and also that which captures the gallery’s ethos. 

The gallery offers advice on market trends to the established and upcoming artists. The gallery holds over 100 pieces of artwork including:

• ·         Works by Picasso
• ·         Andy Warhol
• ·         Lithograph prints from Nelson Mandela
• ·         HRH The Prince of wales
• ·         CHARIE Mackesy etc.

Through the gallery’s state of the art ranking system, it enables works of art previously unseen or not part of the current exhibition, to be viewed all year round.

The gallery has a showroom just outside Guildford in the south east of England where works can be viewed in a more homely environment.

Mandela art

Nelson Mandela started drawing late in life. In his 80’s it was suggested to him that it would be a good way of him leaving a legacy to his family. He had an art teacher who helped advise him on colour and perspective and he returned to Robben Island where he took much inspiration for his drawings. 

The artworks are limited edition lithographs which feature many iconic images relevant to Nelson Mandela during his lifetime - the bars of his cell feature in one work entitled ‘The Window’, a piece called Key and Bars has been painted with his fingers and a replica of the key to his cell on Robben Island. 

Other works include the cell, the lighthouse, the church and the harbour.  His artwork captures his years on Robben Island with simple skill. Much has been said and written about these pieces - they have been drawn with strong, bright colours, not the bleak greys you may expect to find – a reflection of the positive light in which Mr Mandela was able to see many negatives in his life and that of his beloved country.

The artwork was drawn with a love which prevails over adversity and brutality that was experienced there. It shows the grace with which he triumphed over his past experiences and also offers viewers the opportunity to view the art and reflect on the message relating it to their own lives.

Other works were also launched after The My Robben Island series. These include The guard tower, Mandela’s Walk, The Courtyard, The Tennis Court and The Ward – a series known at the Reflections of Robben Island series. Other works by Nelson Mandela include: 

a)                 Key and bars- it contains two strong symbols of the 27 years of Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment. His fingers have slowly and deliberately drawn down the page in a heavy black paint to recreate the bars of his cell. The key to his cell has been replicated and cast into an edition of 3000, each numbered, which accompany this powerful edition. The edition has three thousand signed works worldwide each hand signed in pencil by Nelson Mandela. The signatures are verified by Cecil Greenfield, an eminent South African signature expert.

b)                 Struggle series- the piece is hand signed by Mandela underneath the artist’s motivation “these sketches are not so much about my life as they are about my own country, I drew hands because they are powerful instruments, hands can heal or hurt, punish or uplift. They can also be bound, but a quest for righteousness can never be repressed. In time, we broke lose the shackles of injustice, we joined hands across social divide and national boundaries between continents and over oceans and now we look to the future, knowing that even if age makes us wiser guides (it is) the youth that reminds us of love, of trust and of the value of life.” 25.7.2001 N. Mandela.

c)                  The Illustrated Long Walk to Freedom- this beautiful volume has been bound using the highest standards in traditional bookbinding methods. It is lavishly illustrated with 207 pages covering Mandela’s childhood in rural Africa, his move to Alexandra, a poor township of Johannesburg, where he learned about poverty and developed confidence and self -reliance. This highly collectible best -selling book comes in a lovely presentation box with a signed photograph of Nelson Mandela by Greg Bartley.

d)                 Impressions of Africa: black and white in this work, the imprints of the hands of children affected by HIV surround that of Nelson Mandela’s left hand. This image has a haunting sadness as it reflects Africa’s new and truly tragic dilemma. The numbers of those already afflicted by this disease are truly appalling. This artwork is reaching out to answer the new cry of those suffering in his country and Africa as a whole. It is valued at £9000.

e)                 Impressions of Africa: color – it is a colored art of the hand imprints.

f)                   Hand of Africa- the artwork shows the imprint of Mandela’s right hand. Throughout history, few have left an imprint on the international stage as Nelson Mandela. His courage, compassion, and humanity are among the qualities that led to his recognition as world’s greatest living statesman.

g)                 The tennis court- this artwork shows the transformation of the courtyard so the prisoners could exercise playing tennis which led to Mandela meditating on the perversity of being able to play such a civilized sport in a so brutal environment. It represents a two-year go slow strike which ended in 1977 and so did the forced menial labor.

h)                 Mandela’s walk- the colors Mandela use in this artwork show he is able to look at the brutally confining stretches of barbed wire in a positive light as he reflects on what the experience meant to him.

i)                   The courtyard in this piece he has drawn the courtyard that his cell looked onto. In was a grim wasteland where he eventually was able to cultivate vegetables. This piece comes in three parts; the color lithograph, the motivation piece and the photograph.

j)                   The ward- he drew the word on Robben Island. He says in the artist’s motivation that it was the only place they could talk and share information with other inmates and that it served as a vital link between the political and general prisoners who were kept apart. It comes in three parts; the color lithograph, the motivation and the photograph.

k)                  The guard tower- it is a symbol of the oppressive regime on Robben Island. Mandela’s vision of the tower conveys a sense of menace accentuated by the coils of barbed wire around the base of the guard tower. It comes in three parts; the color lithograph, the motivation and the photograph.

l)                   Artist’s motivation- it is a handwritten motivation by Nelson Mandela.in this piece, he says that Robben Island, as he sees it, is a celebration of the struggle and a symbol of the finest qualities of the human spirit rather than a monument to the brutal tyranny and oppression of apartheid.

m)               The light house- depicts the view of the light house on Robben Island.  To nelson Mandela, the lighthouse, which was used to ward off ships from the treacherous shores of the island, was both a beacon of hope and oppression.

n)                 The harbor- depicts the view of Robben Island where new prisoners would first set foot on the island. The landing stage would be their first contact with the prison island and the sea their last contact with freedom.

o)                 The church- symbolized a place in which they practiced and enjoyed religious and spiritual freedom. Although prisoners could never enter the church, it remained a powerful spiritual symbol. Color has been used throughout again indicating the powerful spiritual meaning of the church to Mandela.

p)                 The cell- depicts the view of his cell through the open cell door. The few possessions that prisoners were allowed are emphasized in color as they are symbolic of a link with the reality out of the harsh prison regime.

q)                 The window – depicts the view of Table Mountain thorough the bars of the prison cell. Since the mountain isn’t visible through the window, it idealizes the view by Mandela of freedom and beauty. The window is one of the sketches where color is used throughout depicting the deep emotional value and meaning attached by Mandela.