Yinka Shonibareâs artwork Refugee Astronaut X, showing a figure in an astronaut suit made from African wax print fabric with a large pack on its back, set against a blue wall decorated with colorful circular panels.” width=”970″ height=”647″ data-caption=’An installation view of Yinka Shonibare’s “Safiotra.” <span class=”lazyload media-credit”>Photo: Fabio Thierry Andriamiarintsoa © Fondation H</span>’>
This past April, scores of art world insiders from institutions, organizations and galleries—MoMA, Serpentine Gallery, V&A East and Goodman Gallery, to name a few—trekked to Madagascar for an exhibition billed as Yinka Shonibare CBE RA’s first major show in Africa. Organized by Madagascar’s Fondation H in partnership with Shonibare’s Guest Artists Space (G.A.S.) Foundation, “Safiotra [Hybridités/Hybridities]” presents close to two decades of work by the British-Nigerian artist in the Malagasy contemporary art foundation’s 2,200-square-meter space in Antananarivo.
Among the works on view in the self-curated show are Alien Man on Flying Machine (2011), Refugee Astronaut X (2024) and The African Library (2018), a monumental installation of 6,000 books wrapped in African wax print fabric. That particular work, which is in Fondation H’s permanent collection, highlights the achievements of Africans, including Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Nelson Mandela, for their roles in the independence of African nations from colonial rule.
The show also has works from the Fondation H collection by nineteen artists from across Africa and its diaspora, including El Anatsui (Ghana), Billie Zangewa (Malawi), Zanele Muholi (South Africa), Sokey Edorh (Togo), Leilah Babirye (Uganda), Malika Agueznay (Morocco), Ibrahim Mahama (Ghana), Abdoulaye Konate (Mali) and Zoarinivo Razakaratrimo (Madagascar).
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Beyond marking a career milestone for Shonibare, the exhibition stands as a significant moment for what local artist Joey Aresoa calls the “vibrant” 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. “I am thrilled,” Aresoa told Observer. “I am really excited to discover other techniques and narratives, and for opportunities to exchange ideas with other African artists.”
In Lagos, she plans to expand on her 2023 work Antsangano, an installation of aluminum eggs that serve as a library of roughly 200 non-existent books that “need to be written” to tell Madagascar’s history. (Antsangano 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’s especially looking forward to “very personal and human” experiences.
The non-profit behind Aresoa’s residency, Fondation H, is Madagascar’s first private contemporary art foundation. Established by entrepreneur and art collector Hassanein Hiridjee 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.
Fondation H presents free-to-access exhibitions like “Safiotra” that speak directly to Malagasy issues and offers dynamic programming that attracts some 15,000 monthly visitors—about 80 percent of whom are under 25, director Margaux Huille told Observer. The foundation hosts school visits four times a week and runs HAY—“to learn” in Malagasy—a free program with tours and workshops focused on contemporary art discovery, critical thinking and creative experimentation for children aged 6 to 14.
“It’s a mind-blowing experience for all of these young people to come into the building and discover what we are presenting,” Huille said. “We’ve seen children change from their first visit and talk openly about topics that they would never speak of on the first visit. And we’ve seen them bring their parents in and be their guide during the weekend.”
The foundation also supports Madagascar’s artists through residencies, grants, training, commissions and introductions to international institutions, organizations and galleries. One of Fondation H’s 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—complete with plane fare, visa and per diem—at Cité internationale des arts in Paris, and exhibitions at Fondation H’s Paris space and the Institut Français de Madagascar. The two runner-ups receive grants and Fondation H-backed exhibitions.
Richianny Ratovo, standing and smiling in front of a warm-toned abstract mixed-media artwork, wearing a tan cardigan and denim jeans.” width=”970″ height=”647″ data-caption=’Prix Paritana winner Richianny Ratovo. <span class=”lazyload media-credit”>Photo: Fabio Thierry Andriamiarintso © Fondation H</span>’>
The 2021 winner, Richianny Ratovo, told Observer that the prize turned around her career. “It was a great moment,” she said, adding that she’s 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’s lack of formal art schools, Ratovo emphasized that Fondation H’s support helped instill a sense of professionalism and confidence in her practice and the broader Malagasy art scene.
The foundation, said Aresoa, is opening doors—offering 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.
While Madagascar’s 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’s residence in Antananarivo, the Musée de la Photographie de Madagascar, established in 2013, is dedicated to preserving the nation’s visual history. Its mission includes archiving and digitizing more than 70,000 images taken in the country between 1860 and 1960. The main exhibition, “EAU,” explores Madagascar’s history through the lens of water and features around twenty ceramic works by Malagasy artist Gloria Rabarison, who began her career as a painter.
Hakanto Contemporary, co-founded in 2020 by entrepreneur Hasnaine Yavarhoussen and internationally recognized Malagasy artist Joël Andrianomearisoa, is also shaping Madagascar’s 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, Xhi sy M’aa, Mickaël Andrinirina, Felana Rajaonarivelo, Mbolatiana Raoilison, Emilie Andriamahefa, Richianny and Mat Li. A solo show of Andrianomearisoa’s own work, “Please Sing Me My Song Before You Go,” closed in mid-May at the nonprofit’s smaller gallery.
Another notable venue is Flow Gallery, described on its website as “dedicated to contemporary art and design.” In April, Observer visited its exhibition “Objects with Soul,” a solo show by interior designer Kiady Ratovoson, 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.
While European influence has long shaped Malagasy design aesthetics, this is beginning to shift. Designers are increasingly exploring heritage materials and indigenous craft traditions. “They’re trying to show this rich heritage [of] craftsmanship and materials specific to Madagascar,” Domi Sanji, a multidisciplinary designer and researcher, told Observer. Sanji also manages Ndao Hanavo, an innovation and training lab for social design in Madagascar.
Sanji is also the founder of Tana Design Week (TDW), which returns on June 28, 2025. Now a biennial, TDW positions itself as “Madagascar’s unmissable design event” 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 Français de Madagascar. Originally staged in 2018, TDW began as Sanji’s graduation project with a mission “to show that design is pivotal for development.” Previous editions focused on excellence in craftsmanship and encouraged designers to collaborate with artisans using new techniques and materials.
Meanwhile, Fondation H is preparing to present a solo exhibition by Beninese-French artist Roméo 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’s cultural context. “One of our biggest missions is to work with artists in the long term,” said Huille. “We are very driven by human encounters and relationships. And that’s the way that we really want to work… We don’t 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.”
