British Museum exhibit explores the art of South Africa

By Phoebe Parke, for CNN

Updated 1650 GMT (0050 HKT) February 9, 2017

South African artist Esther Mahlangu's collaboration with BMW is on show at the 'South Africa: art of a nation' exhibition, which runs until February 26 at the British Museum in London.
Photos: South African art that represents the country
Esther Mahlangu – South African artist Esther Mahlangu's collaboration with BMW is on show at the 'South Africa: art of a nation' exhibition, which runs until February 26 at the British Museum in London.
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Karel Nel collected the white ochre on the left hand side of this painting, called 'Potent Fields', from Nelson Mandela's ancestral lands in the Eastern Cape. The juxtaposition of the different colors is said to echo the color divide of apartheid.
Photos: South African art that represents the country
Karel Nel – Karel Nel collected the white ochre on the left hand side of this painting, called 'Potent Fields', from Nelson Mandela's ancestral lands in the Eastern Cape. The juxtaposition of the different colors is said to echo the color divide of apartheid.
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Also on display are these dolls made from gun cartridges from the late 19th Century. The exhibition explores the history of South Africa over the past 100,000 years.
Photos: South African art that represents the country
Gun cartridge dolls – Also on display are these dolls made from gun cartridges from the late 19th Century. The exhibition explores the history of South Africa over the past 100,000 years.
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This Zulu beaded waistcoat, is made of glass and wool, and is thought to have been created before 1987 in South Africa.
Photos: South African art that represents the country
Beaded waistcoat – This Zulu beaded waistcoat, is made of glass and wool, and is thought to have been created before 1987 in South Africa.
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This mixed media painting by Willie Bester from 1994 is one example of the contemporary art scene in South Africa. Works such as a self-portrait from Lionel Davis' and 3D installation by Mary Sibande also feature in the exhibition.