Vonjiniaina

Vonjiniaina (born Vonjiniaina Annie Ratovonirina; June 26, 1975), is a contemporary Malagasy artist, gold medalist in sculpture at the fifth Jeux de la Francophonie in 2005.

Biography Born to diplomatic parents, Vonjiniaina moved to Germany at the age of 13. She then went to Illkirch-Graffenstaden to pursue studies in marketing at the Robert-Schuman University Institute of Technology.

Vonjiniaina began her artistic career with the exhibition De l'Ame à la Matière (From Soul to Matter) and mainly received attention following her series of sculptures, Paroles de boue (Words of Mud). This group of works appeared in multiple exhibitions internationally. She has exhibited at the Dakar Biennale (2002), the Hôtel de Ville (2003), the Musei Di San Salvatore in Lauro in Rome (2012), and the Gallery of African Art in London (2014).

Vonjiniaina works mainly in landscape, drawing inspiration from Madagascar's cultural heritage: "Dans mon travail, il y a toujours la terre, d'abord comme matière mais aussi comme essence de l'humain. Dans le travail de la terre existe un vecteur spirituel qui lie géographie et histoire, espace et temps, homme et Dieu, réel et imaginaire, âme et matière."

Exhibitions

Painting 1999: De l'Ame à la Matière, galerie Art Déco, Antananarivo, Madagascar 2001: Sens Cri at the Art Deco gallery in Antananarivo, Madagascar 2003: Latitudes, l'Hôtel de ville, Paris 2006: Paroles de Boue, 2007: Angaredona, , Madagascar 2011: Une Nuit pour Reconstruire un Village à Madagascar, Paris 2012: Fabula in Art, at the Musei Di San Salvatore in Lauro, Rome and Murs de Silence at Is'Art Galerie, Madagascar 2014: Pop-up Africa at the Gallery of African Art, London

Sculpture 2002: Installation, Dakar Biennale, Senegal 2003: Padaratana, Institut Français de Madagascar 2005: Installation, Jeux de la Francophonie, Niamey, Niger and residency workshop with sculptor Michael Bethe Sélassié 2007: 30 et Presque Songe, with Joël Andrianomearisoa, Madagascar 2009: Tsinjo-Dia at Espace Rarihasina, Antananarivo, Madagascar

Other media

2003: Scenography for the Contemporary Dance Biennial of Africa and the Indian Ocean, Madagascar 2003: Member of the jury for the second edition of the Short Film Festival in Madagascar 2007: Scenography of the Africa and Indian Ocean Biennial of Photography, in Madagascar 2010: Scenography of Sar'nao Month of Photography in Madasgascar 2013: Co-writer for Le Mythe d'Ibonia , at the Alliance Française de Tananarive, with Hiary Rapanoelina and Henri Randrianerenana

Awards

Gold medal in sculpture, Jeux de la Francophonie, 2005 Officer of the Order of Arts, Letters and Culture. Madagascar, 2012