Wallen Mapondera was born in 1985 in Harare, Zimbabwe, where he currently lives and works. Mapondera completed his Masters Degree in Fine Art at Rhodes University in Makhanda, South Africa in 2019. He was awarded the National Gallery of Zimbabwe Artist-in-Residence Programme, hosted at the National Gallery School of Visual Arts and Design Studios in Harare in 2007, and the Artist-in-Residence programme at the Vermont Studio Center, Burlington in Vermont, USA in 2012. In 2015 he was the recipient of Zimbabwe’s prestigious National Arts Merit Award, presented by the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe.

In 2023, Mapondera presented a solo booth in the Discoveries Section at Art Basel: Hong Kong, with SMAC Gallery. In 2022, Mapondera represented Zimbabwe at the 59th Venice Biennale in Venice, Italy, with an exhibition curated by Fadzai Muchemwa. He also presented a solo exhibition of new work, titled Chikokoko (Little Pleasures That Counts) at Galerie Mitterrand in Paris, France; and a solo booth at The Armory Show in New York City, USA, both in 2022. Further solo exhibitions include: a solo booth with SMAC Gallery in the Nova Section of Art Basel OVR: Miami Beach in 2020; Chirema Chine Mazano Chinotamba Chakazendama Madziro (Part One), the artist’s MFA exhibition which opened at Rhodes University in Makhanda, South Africa in 2019; Chirema Chine Mazano Chinotamba Chakazendama Madziro (Part Two) at SMAC Gallery in Cape Town in 2020; Moving Target at SMAC Gallery in Cape Town, as well as a solo presentation at Atelier Mondial in Basel, Switzerland, both in 2019; Emergency Exit at Tyburn Gallery in London, UK; and Samusha Weiri Dongo at SMAC Gallery in Johannesburg, South Africa, both in 2018; and Tsananguro | Clarifications at SMAC Gallery in Cape Town in 2017.

Notable group exhibitions include: Black Luminosity, curated by Gcotyelwa Mashiqa, at Smac Gallery in Stellenbosch, South Africa (2021); Matereality at Iziko South African National Gallery in Cape Town, South Africa; and Gather at Smac Gallery in Cape Town, South Africa, both in 2020; Five Bhobh: Painting at the End of an Era at Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCAA) in Cape Town, South Africa (2018); Familiar Histories: An Unstoppable Force in Contemporary Art Discourse, curated by Raphael Chikukwa, at the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, in Harare, Zimbabwe (2017); X: Part III (2017) and Nothing Personal (2016) both at SMAC Gallery in Stellenbosch, South Africa; Between the Sheets at Gallery East in Fremantle, Australia (2012); Colour Africa, Zeitgenössische Kunst Aus Simbabwe at Kulturallmende gUG in Munich, Germany (2011); as well as African Expressions at the University of Avignon in Avignon, France in 2010.

Mapondera has taken part in group presentations at Art Basel Hong Kong, with Gallerie Mitterrand, in 2022; The Armory Show in New York City, USA in 2021; Artissima in Turin, Italy; and 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London, UK, both in 2019.

Mapondera is currently included in a group exhibition at Museum Arnhem, in Arnhem, in The Netherlands, entitled between borders: migration, power and boundless imagination, which runs until 22 October 2023.