Maputo , Mozambique ( CNN ) Artists in Mozambique are certainly not lacking inspiration . Whether they draw from their colonial past , independence , or the turbulent years of civil war that followed , many Mozambicans have taken to the canvas to express themselves . It 's no wonder the Mozambican art scene is taking the world by storm . For Goncalo Mabunda , the 16-year civil war that ended in 1992 provided not only the muse but the materials for his works . His sculptures -- intricate masks , thrones and figurines -- are molded from recovered weaponry and military equipment , namely old landmines , AK-47s and rocket launchers . Mabunda 's work was made possible through the efforts of the Christian Council of Mozambique , a group of local churches that launched the `` Transforming Guns into Hoes Program '' , which offers participants tools and building materials in exchange for recovered weapons . `` The war is over . Why do we still need weapons ? Let 's destroy ( them ) . And I 'm glad the government at the time said , 'yes , let 's destroy ' . '' For other artists , like Naguib Elias Abdula -- whose half-mile murals are dotted throughout the landscape of Maputo , the country 's capital , independence was the spark plug that got him painting . In 1975 , when Mozambique became its own country following a decade-long insurrection against Portugal , the land was covered in debris , and was very much a blank canvas . For Abdula , artwork proved the perfect medium to inform the public . `` At the time , it was necessary to teach the people what 's going on . What is independence ? What is 'Mozambique ' ? It was necessary to teach people , and people [ did n't ] read , so we taught through paintings in the road , '' he says , referring to the low literacy rate back then ( literacy has risen to 58.6 % , up from 38.7 % in 1997 , according to UNESCO ) . Like Mabunda , Abdula 's work has achieved international acclaim following an exhibit at the United Nation 's headquarters in 1996 . Since , he 's been shown in countries throughout the world . It is a narrative that is becoming popular in the country , which has started to gain a reputation as an incubator of fine arts . `` There is an artistic movement , '' confirms Arturo Vicente , president of Maputo 's Nucleo di Arte , a longstanding exhibition space that showcases many of the country 's up-and-coming artists . Watch : Mozambique 's elusive coffee plant . More : Africa 's mythical beasts .
Mozambique has surge in artistic activity . They make works from old weapons , abandoned sites .