Joël Andrianomearisoa


Joël Andrianomearisoa is a Malagasy artist, born in 1977 in Antananarivo, Madagascar. He lives and works between Paris and his birthplace.
The artist’s work develops around a non-explicit, often abstract, narration, which everyone perceives yet cannot put a name to. His world of forms weaves his work into sequences often mired in a deep sadness caused by an absence that is impossible to fill.
And for that he uses, in no particular hierarchical order, sound in its immaterial dimension or the book in its hyper materiality, silky textile or rough plastic, black or the most shimmering colours.
His recent experience at Aubusson of a tapestry that would take six months of work to come to life, reflects this complexity, entangling a flat figuration sketch with the thickest knots of an unknown drama.
Joël Andrianomearisoa’s work has developed over time through different mediums and materials. In recent years, his creations have often been made from textiles, paper, sometimes wood, minerals, or from unexpected objects with which he reinvents magic and causes the
emotion.
This "aesthetic emotion", often sought and rarely achieved, and which is beyond comment.

Career

He took his first steps as an artist in the mid-90s, when he was barely 18 years old. From the outset his work took form through performances that would earn him the cover of Revue Noire Madagascar in 1998.
He explores many disciplines, from fashion to design, video to photography, scenography to architecture, installations to visual arts. This is likely where he draws his polyphonic work from, invading every part of his viewers’ sensitive space. As a part of this first pioneering wave of contemporary Malagasy artists he also actively participates in the cultural and artistic development of his country.
He first trained at an art school in Madagascar first and then rubbed shoulders with craftsmen, which put him in touch with many renowned international designers. His training took a decisive turn at the age of 20 in France when he began studying at the École spéciale d’architecture, in Paris. In 2005, he graduated as an architect, presenting a fully graphic and textile project, far from the classic architectural approach that his research director Odile Decq had recommended.
Throughout his career, his work has been shown on five continents, including many prestigious international cultural institutions such as the Maxxi in Roma, the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin, the Smithsonian in Washington, the Centre Pompidou in Paris among many others.
Andrianomearisoa is represented by galleries Sabrina Amrani, Primo Marella and RX.
In 2016, he received the Arco Madrid Audemars Piguet Prize for his work The Labyrinth of Passions
In 2019, Joël Andrianomearisoa represented Madagascar for the first Malagasy pavilion at the 58th Biennale di Venezia with his project I have forgotten the night.
The same year, he was also named "Chevalier" of the "Arts et des Lettres" by the Malagasy Minister of Culture and Communictation, Lalatiana Rakotondrazafy Andriatongarivo.

Distinctions

2019: insignia of "Chevalier" of the "Arts et des Lettres" by the Malagasy Minister of Culture, Lalatiana Rakotondrazafy Andriatongarivo
2016: Arco Madrid Audemars Piguet Prize

Selected exhibitions

Solo shows and projects

2019
I have forgotten the night / Madagascar Pavilion / solo show / 58th Biennale di Venezia / Venice / Italy
Almost home / Galerie RX / Paris / France
Tomorrow tomorrow those are flowers. So how about tomorrow ? / Sabrina Amrani / Madrid / Spain
Blue take me to the end of all loves / Primo Marella gallery / Milan / Italy
Cartography of desires, the space between us / Encounters Art Basel / Hong Kong
Le printemps / Muse / Monaco
2018
No habiamos terminado de hablar sobre el amor / Centro de Arte Alcobendas / Madrid / Spain
Le Pli / Fundaçao Leal Rios / Lisbon / Portugal
The geometry of the angle as point of no return to dress the contemporary / Primae Noctis / Lugano / Switzerland
Iarivo traduit de la nuit / Galerie Rx / Paris / France
Sur un horizon infini se joue le théâtre de nos affections / Fondation Zinsou & Musée Ouidah / Cotonou / Bénin
Le vent souffle sur votre cœur / Château D’Assier / Assier / France
2017
Sur un horizon infini se joue le théâtre de nos affections / Fondation Zinsou & Musée Ouidah / Cotonou / Bénin
Les saisons de mon coeur / Sabrina Amrani / Madrid / Spain
Ausência / Uma Lulik / Lisbon / Portugal
Chanson de ma terre lointaine / Primo Marella / Milan / Italy
Sentimental Products / Musée Les Abattoirs / Toulouse / France
Le La Tour du Monde / Galeries Lafayette / Paris / France
Va et vient / Canal du Midi / France
A l’horizon de mes jours troubles / Galeries Lafayette / Toulouse / France
2016
Last year in Antananarivo / Tyburn Gallery / London / GB
The labyrinth of passions / Mykolas Zilinskas Art Museum / Kaunas / Lithuania
La maison sentimentale / solo project / Biennale de Dakar 2016 / Dakar / Sénégal
Accrochage / Rx / Ivry sur Seine / France
2015
De profundis / Sabrina Amrani Gallery / Madrid / Spain
Parlez-moi / Institut Français / Antananarivo / Madagascar
2014
Carte blanche to Joël Andrianomearisoa X Vendôme Luxury / Le Meurice & Hôtel D’Evreux / Paris / France
Perfection the grave of our own existence / Mikael Andersen / Berlin Germany
2013
SENTIMENTAL / Maison Revue Noire / Paris / France
2012
Waiting for the seventh day that will bring us together / Jack Bell Gallery / London / GB
2011
0621146952 / L’inlassable Galerie / Paris / France
En l’attente de l’aube qui nous surprendra aux rives du sommeil / Nomad Gallery / Brussels / Belgium
Le temps d’une rencontre ou pour toujours / Galerie Béatrice Binoche / Saint Denis / La Reunion island
Hôtel des Rêves / Hôtel du Louvre / Antananarivo / Madagascar
2010
A perfect kind of love / Goodman Gallery / Johannesburg / South Africa
Smatesh Remix / Comme Il Faut / Tel Aviv / Israel
2009
I don’t know how to begin, I don’t know how it will end / Aksent / Gent / Belgium
2008
Une histoire / CCAC / Antananarivo / Madagascar
2007
Black out / :mentalklinik project space / Istanbul / Turkey
2004
Bar / CCAC / Antananarivo / Madagascar
Bir Gece / Maçka Gallery - :mentalklinik - Infist / Istanbul / Turkey

Group shows

2019
Racing the galaxy / Astana / Kazakhstan
Incarnations / Bozar / Brussels / Belgium
Kubatana / Vestfossen Kunstlaboratorium / Norway
Africa! / Grieder contemporary / Zurich / Switzerland
Focus / Galerie RX / Paris
2018
African Metropolis / An imaginary city / Maxxi / Roma / Italy
Ravelled threads / Sean Kelly Gallery / New York / Usa
Hello World / Hamburger Bahnof Museum / Berlin / Germany
Ici la limite du royaume est la mer / Ifm / Antananarivo / Madagascar
Diy / Contempo / Paris / France
Dhaka Art Summit / Dhaka / Bangladesh
A Beast, A God, A Line / Para Site / Hong Kong
The black sphinx II / Primo Marella / Milan / Italy
A Beast, A God, A Line / TS1 Yangon / Myanmar
Tissage tressage quand la sculpture défile / Villa Datris / L’Isle sur la Sorgue
A Beast, A God, A Line / Museum of Modern Art Warsaw / Poland
La Sfinge Nera II / Primae Noctis / Lugano / Switzerland
Joël Andrianomearisoa & Abdoulaye Konaté / Richard Koh Fine Art / Kuala Lumpur
All things been equal / Inaugural show / Zeitz Mocaa / Cape town / South Africa
Le commerce de la parole / L’atelier blanc & Le moulin des arts / Villefranche de Rouergue & St Rémy / France
2017
All things been equal / Inaugural show / Zeitz Mocaa / Cape town / South Africa
BienalSur / Muntref - Avenida del Libertador / Buenos Aires / Argentina
Quart d’heure américain / Mains d’oeuvres / Saint Ouen / France
BienalSur / Ufgrs centro & Campus Vale / Porto Alegre / Brazil
The black sphinx / Primo Marella / Milan / Italy
NB / Galerie RX / Paris / France
Autour du nouveau réalisme / Les Abattoirs / Toulouse / France
The white hunter / Frigoriferi Milanesi / Milan / Italy
Afriques Capitales / La Villette / Paris / France
Vers le Cap de Bonne Espérance / Gare Saint Sauveur / Lille / France
Untitled / Tyburn gallery / London / GB
Dalonaz II / Royal / Bruxelles / Belgium
2016
Winter / Galerie RX / Paris / France
Essentiel paysage / Macaal / Marrakech / Morocco
White surfaces / Primae Noctis Gallery / Lugano / Switzerland
Between structure and matter other minimal futures / Aicon Gallery / New York
Not really really / Frederic de Goldschmidt collection / Brussels / Belgium
Comme sur du papier / Frac Réunion / Reunion Island
Virage / Galerie de Roussan / Paris / France
Tropicalia / L’inlassable Galerie / Paris / France
2015
Rencontres photographiques / Bamako / Mali
Broken english / Tyburn Gallery / London
Africa Africans /Museu Afro Brasil / Sao Paulo / Brasil
Divine Comedy / Smithsonian / Washington / USA
You Love Me, You Love Me Not / Municipal Gallery Almeida Garrett / Porto / Portugal
A to Z / White project / Paris / France
Lugano mostra bandiera / Lugano / Switzerland
Something else / Off Biennale Cairo / Egypt
2014
Political Patterns / Seoul Museum of Art / Seoul / Korea
Divine Comedy/ SCADMOA / Savannah / USA
Textile languages / Thalie Art Project / Brussels / Belgium
Divine Comedy / MMK / Frankfurt / Germany
Biennale de Dakar 2014/ Senegal
Warm heart of Africa / Primae Noctis Gallery / Lugano / Switzerland
2013
Periféeriques / Jacmel / Haiti
Epures / 7.5 club / Paris / France
Nouvelles vagues / Slmp / Palais de Tokyo/ Galerie de Roussan / Paris / France
L’échappée belle / Grand Palais / Paris / France
2012
The progress of love / Menil Collection / Houston / USA
Sericum Graphein / Glassbox Gallery / Curated by Kaiserin / Paris / France
21X29,7 / Galerie de Roussan / Biennale de Belleville / Paris / France
MiniArtextil / Montrouge / France
2011
MiniArtextil 2011 / Milano & Como/ Italy
VideoBuro #4 / curated by Julie Crenn / Paris / France
Eat Me / Goodman Gallery / Cape Town / South Africa
Africa ! / Galerie Hussenot / Paris / France
2010
In Context / SA National Gallery / Cape Town / South Africa
The Global Africa Project / Museum of Arts & Design MAD / New York / Usa
Africa assume Art Position ! / Primo Marella Gallery / Milano / Italy
12th Cairo Biennale / Cairo / Egypt
Docks en ciel / Fashion & design museum / Paris / France
3rd Sinopale Biennal – Sinop / Turkey
In Context / Goodman Gallery – Arts on main / Johannesburg / South Africa
Off the wall / Gustavsbergs Konsthall / Stockholm / Sweden
A Collective Diary / Herzliya Museum of Contemporary Art / Tel Aviv / Israel
2009
Sphères 2009 / Galleria Continua / Goodman Gallery … / Le Moulin / France
Regard special sur la Turquie / Ecole spéciale d’Architecture / Paris / France
Panaf / Relectures / Algiers / Algerie
20 ans et encore à la mode / Musée d’Art et d’Histoire / Cholet / France
2008
Revue Noire Collection / NAAC Atelier / Nantes / France
Africa now ! / World Bank / Washington / USA
Flow / Studio Museum Harlem / New York / USA
Black Paris – Black Brussels / Musée d’Ixelles / Brussels / Belgium
2007
L’invention de la mémoire / Saint Denis / Réunion Island
Africa Remix / Johannesburg Art Gallery / South Africa
Gooood Food bis / Maison Descartes / Amsterdam / Netherlands
Bidibidibidiboo / Ecole des beaux-arts Le Port / Reunion Island
Paris Black / Museum der welt kulturen / Frankfurt / Germany
Propos libres / La passerelle / Saint Brieuc / France
2006
Biennale du design / Saint Etienne / France
Dressing the contemporary / Progr / Bern / Switzerland
Africa Remix / Moderna Museet / Stockholm / Sweden
Africa Remix / Mori Art Museum / Tokyo / Japan
Paris Black / Iwalewa Haus / Bayreuth / Germany
9 Bienal de la Habana / Havana / Cuba
2005
Africa Remix / Centre Pompidou / Paris / France
Africa Remix / Hayward Gallery / London / England
2004
Africa Remix / Museum KunstPalast / Düsseldorf / Germany
Du Bosphore à la Moine / Musée d’Art et d’Histoire / Cholet / France
Lille 2004 / Roubaix phare textile / Musée d’Art et d’industrie la Piscine / Roubaix / France
2001
Archicouture / Chapelle de la Sorbonne / Paris / France
Sand und seide / Ifa / Stuttgart / Germany
2000
Paris pour escale / Arc - Musée d’Art Moderne / Paris / France
Fun five fun story / New South Art Gallery / Sydney / Australia

Books