Marie Darieussecq's 2014 exploration of Mozambican artists Butcheca and Gonçalo Mabunda in Maputo

In December 2014, author Marie Darieussecq traveled to Maputo, Mozambique, where she examined the works of artists Butcheca and Gonçalo Mabunda against the backdrop of the nation's socio-economic disparities. Since gaining independence in 1975 and emerging from a civil war that lasted from 1977 to 1992, Mozambique grapples with both abundant resources and widespread poverty. Darieussecq observes the city's architecture, including the 'Cement Maputo' and a station designed by Eiffel, juxtaposed with shantytowns. At the National Museum of Art, she encounters pieces by Alberto Chissano and Malangatana Ngwenya. Butcheca, born in 1978, utilizes minimal materials for his creations, while Mabunda, born in 1976, is renowned for his thrones crafted from recycled weapons, including the 'Silla de la Bota' (2012), once used by a former president. She points out the 'Angolisation' of Mozambique due to recent gas and oil finds, which have not led to the establishment of new schools or hospitals.