Gonçalo Mabunda, born in 1975 in Maputo, Mozambique, is an artist renowned for his sculptural works that transform weapons of destruction into symbols of peace, reflecting on the country's civil war and its impact. He started his artistic journey through a project by the Christian Council of Mozambique, "Transforming Guns into Hopes," where weapons collected from the community were repurposed into art. Mabunda's work includes anthropomorphic figures, thrones, and masks made from decommissioned weapons like Kalashnikovs and rockets, embodying a powerful message of transforming death into life and violence into beauty. His unique approach aligns with African fetish traditions but is rendered in rusting steel, evoking a modernist style compared to Braque and Picasso. His artworks serve as a critique of war and a call for peace, portraying how culture and creativity can overcome violence and despair. Mabunda's art has gained international recognition, with exhibitions at prestigious venues such as the Venice Biennale, the Center Pompidou in Paris, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, among others. His work not only carries a significant cultural and political message but also challenges the absurdity of war through the transformative power of art​​​​​​​​.