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Each year, three to four artists are invited to participate in Mizaha Paris and develop their projects during residences at the Cité internationale des arts in Paris, followed by exhibitions in the Parisian space of Fondation H. A two to three-month solo exhibition always follows their residency, as the space is not intended to present work pre-existing the residency period.
The program allows for a truly experimental dimension, and a great deal of leeway in the format of collaborations with guest artists, who are always invited on an individual basis, never as part of a group, enabling Fondation H’s team to provide a real personal support for each project.
The space can be the setting for in-situ installations (Hyacinthe Ouattara, M'barka Amor, Christian Sanna, Temandrota, Adji Dieye, Ange Dakouo, Magalie Grondin), and is also regularly transformed into a studio by artists who take up residencye there for a few months at a time(Maya Inès Touam, Adelaide Damoah, Johanna Mirabel, Roxane Mbanga).
The three artists invited to Paris in 2025 are Rijasolo, Malek Gnaoui, Turakella Editha Gyindo
February 12 - May 17
Born in 1973 in France, Rijasolo is a photographer and photojournalist based in Antananarivo, where he lives and works. After a career as a civil servant in the French Navy in Brest, he embarked on a self-taught journey into photography in the early 2000s.
In 2004, he returned to Madagascar, his country of origin, which he had not visited for 20 years. There, he undertook his first series, MIVERINA, in which he sought to capture the challenges of reconnecting with the island on a personal level. His selection for the ‘Rencontres de la Photographie Africaine de Bamako’ in 2005 gave him the confidence to fully dedicate himself to photography. In 2006, he trained at EMI-CFD in Paris and became a photojournalist for the French (Libération, Le Monde, Paris Match and Jeune Afrique) and international press, collaborating with AFP (Agence de Presse Française) since 2013.
Permanently settled in Madagascar since 2011, Rijasolo has gained both local and international recognition as a photojournalist, focusing his lens on the realities of the island. He has worked on assignments for various NGOs, shedding light on social issues and the complexities of conflicts within the country.
His work has been widely acknowledged and honored at numerous international photography events. His traveling exhibition MALAGASY, a profound and detailed social portrait of Madagascar’s people, was first showcased in 2017 at the 5th ‘Biennale Internationale de Photographie Addis Foto Fest’ in Ethiopia, and later in 2018 at the 11th ‘Biennale de la Photographie Africaine Rencontres de Bamako’. Whetherin art or documentary photography, Rijasolo’s pictures are distinguished by their sensitivity and contrasting aesthetic. Among his influences, he quotes Pierrot Men and Sebastião Salgado.
The photographer has also been recognized for both his photojournalism and the artistic quality of his projects. In 2019, Rijasolo is the winner of Prix Paritana and will benefit from a residency at the Cité internationale des arts in Paris, followed by an exhibition entitled MALAGASY. In 2022, he won the World Press Photo Award in the Africa Long-Term Project category for his series The Zebu War. The result of ten years of work, this black-and-white visual narrative documents the enduring practice of zebu theft in southern and western Madagascar, a longstanding issue driven by illegal trafficking by the dahalo.
June 4 - August 2
Born in 1983 in Gabes, Tunisia, Malek Gnaoui lives and works in Tunis. He graduated in 2007 from the School of Art and Decoration of Tunis and trained in the art of ceramics at the National Center for Ceramic Arts - Sidi Kacem Jellizi in Tunis, Tunisia.
Malek Gnaoui's work explores themes related to social conditions and the concept of human sacrifice. Through video, ceramics, engraving, installation, sound, and performance, his approach to materiality leads him to develop a practice that integrates everyday materials and traditional techniques. His alternative and hybrid approach transcends the utilitarian confines of ceramics to create unexpected and singular atmospheres.
Anchored in materiality, his work broadly reflects an engaged dialogue within Tunisia's current sociopolitical context.
During his internship at the National Center for Ceramic Arts, located in the mausoleum of Sidi Kacem Jellizi, while observing worshippers offering sheep as sacrifices, he developed a reflection on the symbolism of sacrificial acts. Since 2011, his work has revolved around recurring themes and symbols embodying the dualities of life and death, past and present. By employing a wide range of media, Malek Gnaoui immerses himself into the concept of spirituality, exploring civilizations from ancient times to the contemporary era. His exploration of bodies, elements, and materials underscores the physical involvement in the creation of his works, which often exude a performative dimension.
A prominent figure in Tunisia's contemporary art scene, Malek Gnaoui gained international recognition through Politiques, a collective he co-founded with other artists in 2011. Represented by the Tunisian Selma Feriani Gallery, he has recently presented ambitious projects at Salon d’Octobre in Belgrade, Serbia, and the KANAL Centre Pompidou in Brussels, Belgium, in 2024, as well as at the Dom Museum in Vienna, Austria, in 2021, and the Sharjah Bienniale in the United Arab Emirates.
His work is also part of prestigious collections, including Fondation H in Antananarivo, Madagascar, the Dom Museum in Vienna, Austria, and both the Victoria and Albert Museum and the British Museum in London, United Kingdom.
September 17 - 29 November
Turakella Editha Gyindo (Tura) is a multidisciplinary artist and curator based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. After completing her university studies in Algeria, she joined the Nafasi Art Space Academy in Dar es Salaam in 2021 to pursue the Curatorial Practice and Art Management program and participated in the 2021 East African Biennale.
Since then, Tura has worked as an independent curator in Tanzania, organizing numerous exhibitions and artist residency projects, including with Mazi Arts and the Goethe-Institut in Dar es Salaam. In May 2024, she became part of the Mentorship Program for East African Curators, supported by the Njabala Foundation, Independent Curators International, and AWARE.
Inspired by human nature and its adaptation to the perpetual and frenetic evolution of the world, she challenges collective preconceptions surrounding intersectionality, identity, and belonging. She is interested by the challenges and complexities of human existence, as well as how identity can transcend social norms. According to her People’s place in society is not only shaped by personal experiences but also by a profound connection to existence that goes beyond physical embodiment.
In early 2024, she presented her first solo exhibition, Mwanangu Kua Nikutume, at the Alliance Française in Dar es Salaam. From painting to performance, Tura experiments with a plurality of media, through which her work explores her experiences of femininity, isolation, emotions, and personal memories. Her personal history serves as a central thread in her practice, as she draws from her own memories to weave connections with emotions that resonate universally.
Through her work, Tura seeks to initiate a dialogue about the social and hierarchical norms that govern communities, highlighting the diversity of questions that arise in the quest for identity.