{"id":8077,"date":"2025-05-31T12:28:53","date_gmt":"2025-05-31T12:28:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/31\/in-madagascar-fondation-h-anchors-a-rising-contemporary-scene\/"},"modified":"2025-05-31T12:29:03","modified_gmt":"2025-05-31T12:29:03","slug":"in-madagascar-fondation-h-anchors-a-rising-contemporary-scene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/31\/in-madagascar-fondation-h-anchors-a-rising-contemporary-scene\/","title":{"rendered":"In Madagascar, Fondation H Anchors a Rising Contemporary Scene"},"content":{"rendered":"
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An installation view of Yinka Shonibare\u2019s \u201cSafiotra.\u201d Photo: Fabio Thierry Andriamiarintsoa \u00a9 Fondation H<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This past April, scores of art world insiders from institutions, organizations and galleries\u2014MoMA, Serpentine Gallery, V&A East and Goodman Gallery, to name a few\u2014trekked to Madagascar for an exhibition billed as Yinka Shonibare<\/a> CBE RA\u2019s first major show in Africa. Organized by Madagascar\u2019s Fondation H in partnership with Shonibare\u2019s Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation, \u201cSafiotra [Hybridit\u00e9s\/Hybridities]<\/a>\u201d presents close to two decades of work by the British-Nigerian artist in the Malagasy contemporary art foundation\u2019s 2,200-square-meter space in Antananarivo.<\/p>\n

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Among the works on view in the self-curated show are Alien Man on Flying Machine<\/i> (2011), Refugee Astronaut X<\/i> (2024) and The African Library<\/i> (2018), a monumental installation of 6,000 books wrapped in African wax print fabric. That particular work, which is in Fondation H\u2019s permanent collection, highlights the achievements of Africans, including Dr. Kwame Nkrumah<\/a> and Nelson Mandela<\/a>, for their roles in the independence of African nations from colonial rule.<\/p>\n

The show also has works from the Fondation H collection by nineteen artists from across Africa and its diaspora, including El Anatsui<\/a> (Ghana), Billie Zangewa<\/a> (Malawi), Zanele Muholi<\/a> (South Africa), Sokey Edorh<\/a> (Togo), Leilah Babirye<\/a> (Uganda), Malika Agueznay<\/a> (Morocco), Ibrahim Mahama<\/a> (Ghana), Abdoulaye Konate (Mali) and Zoarinivo Razakaratrimo<\/a> (Madagascar).<\/p>\n

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Beyond marking a career milestone for Shonibare, the exhibition stands as a significant moment for what local artist Joey Aresoa<\/a> calls the \u201cvibrant\u201d Malagasy art scene. Aresoa, a poet and multidisciplinary self-taught artist, works across media to explore narrative, identity and life as a woman in Madagascar. Later this year, she will begin a residency at the G.A.S. Foundation in Nigeria through its partnership with Fondation H. \u201cI am thrilled,\u201d Aresoa told Observer. \u201cI am really excited to discover other techniques and narratives, and for opportunities to exchange ideas with other African artists.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Fondation H in Madagascar. Photo: Fabio Thierry Andriamiarintsoa \u00a9 Fondation H<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In Lagos, she plans to expand on her 2023 work Antsangano<\/i>, an installation of aluminum eggs that serve as a library of roughly 200 non-existent books that \u201cneed to be written\u201d to tell Madagascar\u2019s history. (Antsangano<\/i> can be accessed via an app.) She will utilize, among other resources, the G.A.S. Library and the Picton Archive, which contains 1,500 volumes collected over six decades, but she added that she\u2019s especially looking forward to \u201cvery personal and human\u201d experiences.<\/p>\n

The non-profit behind Aresoa\u2019s residency, Fondation H, is Madagascar\u2019s first private contemporary art foundation. Established by entrepreneur and art collector Hassanein Hiridjee<\/a> in 2017, the foundation has been at the forefront of shaping the arts ecosystem in a country that lacks an art school and where most artists are self-taught.<\/p>\n

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Yinka Shonibare, The African Library<\/em> (2018). Photo: Fabio Thierry Andriamiarintsoa \u00a9 Fondation H<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fondation H presents free-to-access exhibitions like \u201cSafiotra\u201d that speak directly to Malagasy issues and offers dynamic programming that attracts some 15,000 monthly visitors\u2014about 80 percent of whom are under 25, director Margaux Huille<\/a> told Observer. The foundation hosts school visits four times a week and runs HAY\u2014\u201cto learn\u201d in Malagasy\u2014a free program with tours and workshops focused on contemporary art discovery, critical thinking and creative experimentation for children aged 6 to 14.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a mind-blowing experience for all of these young people to come into the building and discover what we are presenting,\u201d Huille said. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen children change from their first visit and talk openly about topics that they would never speak of on the first visit. And we\u2019ve seen them bring their parents in and be their guide during the weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n

The foundation also supports Madagascar\u2019s artists through residencies, grants, training, commissions and introductions to international institutions, organizations and galleries. One of Fondation H\u2019s early initiatives was the launch of the Prix Paritana in 2017, a contemporary art prize supporting Malagasy artists living in the country and abroad. Each year, three winners are selected. The top award includes a grant, a residency\u2014complete with plane fare, visa and per diem\u2014at Cit\u00e9 internationale des arts in Paris, and exhibitions at Fondation H\u2019s Paris space and the Institut Fran\u00e7ais de Madagascar. The two runner-ups receive grants and Fondation H-backed exhibitions.<\/p>\n

\"A\"A<\/a>
Prix Paritana winner Richianny Ratovo. Photo: Fabio Thierry Andriamiarintso \u00a9 Fondation H<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 2021 winner, Richianny Ratovo<\/a>, told Observer that the prize turned around her career. \u201cIt was a great moment,\u201d she said, adding that she\u2019s been able to sustain herself as an artist ever since. Based in Antananarivo, Ratovo is a self-taught artist who works primarily in paint and mixed media, layering materials such as paper and wood, and incorporating pyrography and lithography techniques. Citing Madagascar\u2019s lack of formal art schools, Ratovo emphasized that Fondation H\u2019s support helped instill a sense of professionalism and confidence in her practice and the broader Malagasy art scene.<\/p>\n

The foundation, said Aresoa, is opening doors\u2014offering training, funding, international connections and visibility both locally and abroad. Her upcoming residency at G.A.S. Foundation in Nigeria will be her first experience working outside the country.<\/p>\n

While Madagascar\u2019s art scene may not be as developed as some of its African counterparts, it hosts a growing diversity of practices. Housed in the former colonial-era mayor\u2019s residence in Antananarivo, the Mus\u00e9e de la Photographie de Madagascar<\/a>, established in 2013, is dedicated to preserving the nation\u2019s visual history. Its mission includes archiving and digitizing more than 70,000 images taken in the country between 1860 and 1960. The main exhibition, \u201cEAU,\u201d explores Madagascar\u2019s history through the lens of water<\/keyword> and features around twenty ceramic works by Malagasy artist Gloria Rabarison<\/a>, who began her career as a painter.<\/p>\n

\"An\"An<\/a>
Work by ceramicist Gloria Rabarison in the exhibition \u201cEAU\u201d at the Muse\u0301e de la Photographie de Madagascar. Gameli Hamelo for Observer<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hakanto Contemporary<\/a>, co-founded in 2020 by entrepreneur Hasnaine Yavarhoussen<\/a> and internationally recognized Malagasy artist Jo\u00ebl Andrianomearisoa, is also shaping Madagascar\u2019s art landscape. Andrianomearisoa, who serves as artistic director, curated several new projects this May at a renovated warehouse in Antananarivo, showcasing works by artists including Mirado Ravohitrarivo<\/a>, Xhi sy M\u2019aa, Micka\u00ebl Andrinirina, Felana Rajaonarivelo<\/a>, Mbolatiana Raoilison<\/a>, Emilie Andriamahefa<\/a>, Richianny and Mat Li<\/a>. A solo show of Andrianomearisoa\u2019s own work, \u201cPlease Sing Me My Song Before You Go,\u201d closed in mid-May at the nonprofit\u2019s smaller gallery.<\/p>\n

Another notable venue is Flow Gallery, described on its website as \u201cdedicated to contemporary art and design.\u201d In April, Observer visited its exhibition \u201cObjects with Soul,\u201d a solo show by interior designer Kiady Ratovoson<\/a>, whose practice draws from his Malagasy heritage and studies in Shanghai and Milan. His studio, KR. Atelier, focuses on woodwork that champions Malagasy craftsmanship and aims to promote local excellence in furniture design.<\/p>\n

While European influence has long shaped Malagasy design aesthetics, this is beginning to shift. Designers are increasingly exploring heritage materials and indigenous craft traditions. \u201cThey\u2019re trying to show this rich heritage [of] craftsmanship and materials specific to Madagascar,\u201d Domi Sanji<\/a>, a multidisciplinary designer and researcher, told Observer. Sanji also manages Ndao Hanavo, an innovation and training lab for social design in Madagascar.<\/p>\n

\"An\"An<\/a>
An installation at the 2023 edition of Tana Design Week. \u00a9 Tana Design Week<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sanji is also the founder of Tana Design Week<\/a> (TDW), which returns on June 28, 2025. Now a biennial, TDW positions itself as \u201cMadagascar\u2019s unmissable design event\u201d and features fashion shows, exhibitions, a masterclass, conferences and guided tours at eight venues including Fondation H, the Museum of Art and Archaeology and the Institut Fran\u00e7ais de Madagascar. Originally staged in 2018, TDW began as Sanji\u2019s graduation project with a mission \u201cto show that design is pivotal for development.\u201d Previous editions focused on excellence in craftsmanship and encouraged designers to collaborate with artisans using new techniques and materials.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Fondation H is preparing to present a solo exhibition by Beninese-French artist Rom\u00e9o Mivekannin, following a residency and research period in Madagascar this October. The foundation is supporting the production of a new body of work that responds directly to the country\u2019s cultural context. \u201cOne of our biggest missions is to work with artists in the long term,\u201d said Huille. \u201cWe are very driven by human encounters and relationships. And that\u2019s the way that we really want to work\u2026 We don\u2019t want to have online relationships for everything. We care very much about and want to continue growing relationships, human-to-human. That matters to us quite a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

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