Inheritance, transition and resilience come to the fore in Wallen Mapondera’s Kura Uone. A Shona precept warning its recipient to ‘mature and then see’, the body of work serves as a counter to understanding life as a series of lessons. In so doing Mapondera playfully reminds the viewer to hold onto the more innocent, clumsy and sincere parts of our humanity. Drawing from his personal history, the artist surfaces a new way of understanding the survival and adaptation needed within the context of Zimbabwe’s complex socio-political landscape.
Distinct, intricate and vibrant: Wallen Mapondera’s visual language is an invocation of his mother’s legacy and the impact of their relationship. Unfolded in Kura Uone, we see how memories of his mother’s cross-border trade of textiles and crafts manifest themselves in tactile and visceral means. Recontextualised the same patterns and sensibilities are given a new life. This gesture bridges generational and cultural divides, offering a conversation between mother and son, past and present. It’s an act of honoring, but also of reimagining, suggesting that the memories and teachings of one generation don’t just get passed down—they evolve and take new shape.
One of the exhibition’s key elements is the use of found materials—cardboard, egg crates, and textiles—which have come to define Mapondera’s artistic signature. These materials, often associated with economic scarcity, are reimagined as precious objects, each piece meticulously crafted and loaded with meaning. The work feels like a direct response to Zimbabwe’s harsh economic realities, particularly the hyperinflation of the early 2000s, when traditional art materials became too expensive. In this sense, Kura Uone is a visual meditation on survival. The materials aren’t just substitutes for what’s out of reach—they’re transformed into something new, something valuable. In doing so, Mapondera shifts our perception of what art can be. He elevates the ordinary and reveals the unseen value of the everyday, forcing us to rethink notions of beauty, wealth, and worth.
The disused military bags placed at the center of the gallery are some of the most striking works in the exhibition. These bags, each carefully stitched with reddish palm kernel seeds, immediately evoke a sense of conflict. They’re worn, practical objects, marked by a history of militarism and resource extraction. The seeds, too, carry significant weight—representing Zimbabwe’s vast natural resources like lithium, gold, and fertile land, which have been both a blessing and a curse. The work critiques the history of colonialism and the continuing exploitation of Africa’s resources, calling attention to the arbitrary nature of borders—physical and economic—that have caused so much suffering and division. In these works, Mapondera confronts the viewer with the uncomfortable realities of global conflict, offering a poignant commentary on the ongoing struggles over Africa’s wealth.
In many ways, Kura Uone feels like a continuation of Mapondera’s previous investigations into the intersection of materiality, history, and personal narrative. In past exhibitions, such as his 2017 solo at SMAC, Mapondera’s work also employed found materials to comment on the social and political challenges in Zimbabwe. However, in Kura Uone, there’s a more deliberate engagement with the spiritual—an exploration of how we can approach life’s challenges with a childlike perspective, full of wonder and resilience. This exhibition doesn’t just look at the physical reality of materials; it contemplates the metaphysical journey that those materials represent.
There’s an undeniable sense of intimacy in this exhibition. The personal connection between Mapondera and his mother, and by extension the Zimbabwean cultural and spiritual landscape, becomes palpable. The work challenges the viewer to engage not just with the art, but with the emotional and political histories that inform it. Through the delicate balance of traditional motifs and contemporary forms, Mapondera is asking us to see the complexity of the Zimbabwean experience, both individual and collective.
Mapondera’s use of geometric patterns, which nod to his mother’s craftsmanship, is another signature element that ties this exhibition to his broader practice. These patterns are a visual language that speaks to the enduring significance of African craft traditions, yet they feel thoroughly modern. In a sense, Kura Uone offers a much-needed reminder of the power of craft—how it can serve as both a personal expression and a powerful cultural artifact. Mapondera’s reimagining of these designs speaks to his broader artistic concern with how culture survives, transforms, and endures.
While Kura Uone is personal, it’s also universal in its resonance. There’s a compelling invitation to reflect on the intersection of spirituality, materiality, and the ties that bind us. The works speak to both the hardship and the possibility within the Zimbabwean experience, yet they transcend national boundaries, offering a broader commentary on the human condition. Mapondera’s commitment to the intersection of craft, history, and contemporary concerns positions him as one of the most compelling voices in the African contemporary art scene today.
In conclusion, Wallen Mapondera’s Kura Uone is an exhibition that seamlessly weaves personal narrative with larger social and cultural themes. Through a careful use of materials, patterns, and symbolism, the artist presents a body of work that is both intimate and expansive. For anyone familiar with Mapondera’s practice, this exhibition offers a deeper exploration of the artist’s ongoing investigation into the power of materiality, memory, and cultural inheritance. For those new to his work, Kura Uone is a powerful introduction to an artist who is redefining what it means to engage with the complexities of modern life through the lens of Zimbabwe’s rich cultural heritage.