Galerie Mitterrand
CHIKOKOKO (Little Pleasures that Counts)
Wallen Mapondera , Zimbabwe
Photo © Gregory Copitet
« Growing up, my siblings and I had the privilege of experiencing both city and country life. In the city, few people owned a television set. We were not allowed to stay late at our neighbors' houses with other children our age to watch Ezomgidho, our favorite music show. Then, when almost every household could afford a television, we were only interested in the evening programs because after school and on weekends, playing was enough. In rural areas, we played while herding cattle. Knowledge is transmitted in different ways at different stages of life. One of them is playing. Before technology dominated, games were always a way to teach children various cognitive and physical skills such as leadership, alertness and physical endurance. I am fascinated by the traditional games of Zimbabwe, which are similar to those played in most parts of Africa. »
-Wallen Mapondera
The gallery
Founded in 1988 by Jean-Gabriel Mitterrand and currently located in a privately-owned townhouse in Paris’ Marais district, Galerie Mitterrand is dedicated to showcasing contemporary sculpture and historically significant artists who started their career from the 1960s onwards.
Gallery artists
Kamrooz Aram • Agustin Cardenas • Carlos Cruz-Diez • Mark di Suvero • Rachel Feinstein • León Ferrari Estate • Mark Handforth • Marie Hazard • Edi Hila • My-Lan Hoang-Thuy • Peter Kogler • Wallen Mapondera • Allan McCollum • Dennis Oppenheim Estate • Tony Oursler • Marta Pan Foundation • Richard Pettibone • Anne et Patrick Poirier • Vaclav Pozarek • Niki de Saint Phalle • Katja Schenker • Francisco Sobrino Estate • Keith Sonnier • Fred Wilson • Rob Wynne • Donald Judd Furniture • François-Xavier Lalanne • Claude Lalanne