LONDON.- Six powerful images of the hands and arms of Nelson Mandela sketched by the great politician himself – which were then lithographed and painted upon by acclaimed Singaporean artist Tan Swie Hian – will be offered at Bonhams’ Fine Chinese Paintings and Southeast Asian Art Sale in Hong Kong on 29 May 2016. The litho-paintings will be sold as a set with a customised box and framed as a cohesive series, estimated at HK$700,000 - 1,000,000 (£65,000 - 90,000).

This set of six collectively known as The Nelson Mandela Unity Series, signed individually by Nelson Mandela and Tan Swie Hian, is unique in medium, meaning and technique – original acrylic, ink and pencil over monochrome lithography. Tan reinforced Mandela’s nobility of the human spirit by using Buddhist mudras (symbolic hand gestures) and Chinese calligraphy in the cursive script.

In 2004, Mandela painted six separate images of his hands and arms breaking free from manacles. They were reproduced as lithographs and 39 leading South African and international artists were invited to add their original work to the lithographs. Tan Swie Hian was the only Southeast Asian artist chosen for this project.

Tan Swie Hian commented, “It was a great honour for me to be invited to continue creating on the six lithographs by Nelson Mandela in 2004. In the works, I complemented his hand signs with Buddhist mudras to show that during his long walk to freedom, he had received the divine blessings. It is evident in what he produced that among his many skills is that of a creative person wishing to make a statement that affects the viewer. Clearly he was an artist as well as a legend.”

Bonhams Director of South African Art, Giles Peppiatt added, ”The litho-paintings Bonhams is selling capture the strength, dynamism and character of this truly amazing man who was also belatedly a talented artist. Never did a single individual more powerfully symbolise the hopes of a nation. South Africa became free in the way that it did because his hands and arms reached out to all and thus his name became a beacon of hope to oppressed peoples throughout the world.”

The works are owned by the Mandela Family Trust. Nelson Mandela’s oldest daughter, Makaziwe Mandela-Amuah, represents the Mandela family in this partnership with Bonhams. She says, "On behalf of the Mandela family, I am delighted that my father at the age of 83 decided to step out of his comfort zone and turn his memories into art. The process of creating these images was very therapeutic for him. That a renowned and highly creative artist such as Tan Swie Hian agreed to further develop and interpret my father’s original signed lithographs meant a great deal to him. As Mandela's progeny we hope that these collaborative images will bring joy to many people and serve as a reminder to his tremendous legacy, that with courage and determination we can be victorious over adversity and life's challenges."

Bonhams holds the record for eight of the top ten world records for South African artists sold at auction. During the last ten years, the company has pioneered specialist sales of South African art in London and New York.