When the Ball Was Life
Medium
PaintingMaterial
Mixed MediaDescription
“When the Ball Was Life” captures the inventive joy of growing up in rural Zimbabwe, where games were handmade and memories formed in dust and sunlight. We created our own soccer balls from plastic and old socks, playing hard while herding livestock — always under the watchful (and dreaded) eye of Baba Kaunda, known as Dziripi. His whip, his anger, and the destruction of our ball were legendary, yet our biggest fear remained: “Don’t tell our parents.”
This artwork preserves that mix of joy, mischief, and fear. Painted on traditionally processed goat skin and stitched with goat-hide thread onto rust-sealed steel bars, it reflects the raw, unpolished spirit of rural childhood. The materials recall old gates, kraal corners, and weathered memories — honest and proudly worn.
For Zimbabweans, it brings back dusty soccer fields and loud laughter. For international collectors, it offers a glimpse into a childhood shaped by imagination and resilience.
(Goat skin ethically sourced; certifiedTry it!
