Gonçalo Mabunda was born in Maputo, Mozambique in 1975, Mabunda started his work in the context of a project implemented in 1995, by the Christian Council of Mozambique.
Some 800.000 weapons have been collected since the Council launched this project, called « Transforming Guns into Hopes » after a civil war that lasted almost twenty years.
Mabunda uses Kalashnikovs, rockets, pistols, and shells. He makes thrones and masks out of these deactivated weapons. The masks are based on traditional sub-saharan african masks, however, the original twist on the art form is by creating them out of weapons.
This unique to Mabunda. Mabunda's thrones mock how the traditional power rests on weapons. Mabunda's art directly challenges the absurdity of war. Some of his work has a modernist style to it and some art critics have compared his work to that of Braque and Picasso.
In 2017, former US President Bill Clinton, commissioned the artist to create trophies for his philanthropic organisation « The Clinton Global Initiative ».
