PRESERVING A FADING CRAFT THROUGH SPORTING TRIBUTES
Fewer than ten grandmothers in South Africa still practice the traditional chicken-feather brush technique, an artistic method at risk of disappearing entirely within a generation. Ndebele artist Gogo Esther Mnguni has become one of the most visible practitioners of this dying art form, and her decision to transform major sporting objects into cultural works has created an unexpected vehicle for its preservation.
Netball South Africa donated the match ball from Australia’s 2023 Netball World Cup victory in Cape Town to Mnguni, who repurposed it through her distinctive artistic practice. The Springboks’ 2023 Rugby World Cup ball, marking South Africa’s record fourth World Cup triumph in France, underwent similar transformation. Both artworks were unveiled together for the first time at the launch of the Legendary Women in the Arts exhibition at the Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History, a presentation that carries significance well beyond the sporting achievements they commemorate.
The approach reflects a deliberate strategy to engage younger audiences through objects they recognize. Prince Menzi Mthethwa, Mnguni’s curator and media contact, explained that the artist recognized how messaging and communication had evolved beyond traditional art spaces. By using sporting objects as entry points, Mnguni creates conversations about culture, heritage and traditional artistic practices with audiences who might otherwise never encounter them. The chicken-feather brush technique, practiced by so few people, requires new methods of transmission to survive.
The netball will travel across all nine provinces of South Africa before heading to Australia next year, when the country hosts the 2027 Netball World Cup. Workshops accompanying the ball’s tour are designed specifically to preserve Mnguni’s traditional technique and pass the skill to younger generations. The issue extends beyond protecting finished artworks. It concerns preserving the knowledge and technique embedded within them, and without intervention, the practice risks disappearing as the remaining practitioners age.
Mnguni’s work has already demonstrated capacity to reach international audiences. In March, she became the first artist to paint on the rooftop of the Leonardo Hotel in Sandton, creating a Superga sneaker 234 meters above ground. Another Superga sneaker was commissioned for the Italian brand’s 100th anniversary, with both works expected to tour Italy next year. Mthethwa noted that she had previously painted a rugby ball in Paris, using recognizable objects to connect with new audiences across borders.
By contrast, the artworks also serve a diplomatic function closer to home. Australian High Commissioner to South Africa Tegan Brink recalled watching Australia’s Diamonds defeat England in the 2023 Netball World Cup final in Cape Town. She highlighted Australian netball’s role in creating development opportunities for South African players, including Proteas player Elmeré van der Berg, who plays for the Adelaide Thunderbirds. Through Australia’s “Her Power 27” legacy programme for the 2027 Netball World Cup, the country aims to create opportunities for women and girls in sport while placing First Nations culture, art and storytelling at the heart of the tournament.
The exhibition itself forms part of a broader institutional effort to reshape how cultural heritage is presented and preserved. Ditsong Museums of South Africa acting CEO Dr Molebogeng Mohapi stated that museums had traditionally focused on men’s stories, often excluding women from important narratives. The institution has therefore taken a conscious decision to broaden its storytelling to include women, young people, people living with disabilities and people from different racial backgrounds. Mohapi said the approach was important to fostering social cohesion and nation-building.
The Legendary Women in the Arts exhibition celebrates six South African women whose work has contributed to the country’s artistic and cultural heritage. Alongside Mnguni, it features Dr Esther Mahlangu, Dr Noria Mabasa, Helen Sebidi, Rebecca Matibe and Dr Gcina Mhlophe, bringing together visual art, sculpture and storytelling. The exhibition was launched during the 70th anniversary commemorations of the 1956 Women’s March. Ditsong Museums Council chairperson Lynette Tlhogo noted that one of Mabasa’s sculptures depicts the historic event, connecting the featured artists to a longer history of women shaping South Africa’s identity.
National Arts Council representative Julie Diphofa said the six women stood as cultural custodians, educators and nation-builders whose achievements should form part of South Africa’s shared national memory. South African Gallery of Legends chairperson Ria Ledwaba emphasized that celebrating women must also create opportunities for them to pass on their knowledge. Discussions were underway with the National Arts Council about funding community programmes through which the legends could share their skills with young people. Ledwaba also raised the possibility of taking the artworks to Australia during the upcoming World Cups, and stressed that South Africans should celebrate their cultural legends while they were alive rather than waiting until after their deaths to recognize their contribution.
The exhibition will remain at the Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History for six months. Whether the funding discussions with the National Arts Council translate into sustained community programmes may ultimately determine how much of Mnguni’s technique survives the generation that still holds it.