Joël Andrianomearisoa. MEASURES LULLABIES AND WHISPERS

In the organizer's words:

For the exhibition at ifa-Galerie Berlin, Joël Andrianomearisoa follows in the footsteps of his memories and draws inspiration from the lullaby his grandmother used to sing to him before going to bed, Iny Hono Izy Ravorombazaha [the white bird]. The words may be forgotten, but the body remembers the rhythm and the vibrations. Andrianomearisoa uses these spaces to fill them with newly imagined lyrics.

MEASURES LULLABIES AND WHISPERS is an invitation to explore the rhythm of lullabies and the power of memory. The soothing melodies, passed down from one generation to the next, are a reminder of the deep-rooted connection and sense of belonging. The nature of lullabies, from the feelings of intimacy they evoke to their healing power, is Andrianomearisoa's starting point for his poetic explorations in this site-specific installation.

Andrianomearisoa's approach to poetry and architecture opens up entirely new avenues by creating a new architectural division in the exhibition space. Visitors are greeted by words on a monumental wall, reminiscent of the lullaby of his childhood, behind which a new protected space opens up.

Andrianomearisoa continues his poetic exploration with textiles embroidered using a traditional Malagasy technique. The work MANIFESTE D'UNE RUPTURE, for which he collaborated with artisans from his hometown of Antananarivo, pushes the technical boundaries of traditional embroidery through the use of raffia, a palm fiber typical of Madagascar. The chromatic minimalism, the use of similar color tones, makes it almost impossible to read the embroidered words. Traditional gestures become forms of storytelling here.

The haunting rhythm of the lullaby lures visitors to the back of the room, where a film commissioned especially for the exhibition can be seen for the first time. The film was shot exclusively in Antananarivo and marks the beginning of a new artistic practice in Andrianomearisoa's work. PLEASE SING ME MY SONG BEFORE YOU GO interweaves processes of writing on materials and architecture in a visual language that blurs the spatial-temporal framework of the narrative. The film will premiere at the opening on June 6, 2024.

The exhibition was curated by Meriem Berrada and Alya Sebti and is part of the transdisciplinary project Untie to Tie at ifa-Galerie Berlin, which was launched in 2017 as an exhibition and research platform on colonial structures in contemporary societies.

Joël Andrianomearisoa born 1977 in Antananarivo, Madagascar; lives and works in Paris, Antananarivo and Magnat-l'Étrange. In 2019, Andrianomearisoa represented Madagascar for the first time at the 58th Venice Biennale. His work has been exhibited internationally, including at the Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden, Marrakech (2022), Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2021), MAXXI, Rome (2018), Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin (2010), Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington DC (2015) and the Centre Pompidou, Paris (2005).

ifa-Galerie Berlin would like to thank Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) for their collaboration on this project.