Hurongwa (Plan)

Hurongwa (Plan) (2024) exemplifies the practice of Wallen Mapondera. From reclaimed materials — cardboard, waxed thread, wood — the artist constructs large wall sculptures whose surfaces evoke both abstract tapestries and territorial cartographies. The word hurongwa, in Shona, refers to the notion of order, plan, or arrangement — an idea the work holds in tension with the humble, repurposed nature of its materials. Mapondera works from Harare, where he represented Zimbabwe at the 2022 Venice Biennale, and where his practice bears witness to the survival strategies and resilience of a society navigating political, environmental, and economic crisis.