HAKANTO CONTEMPORARY

Hakanto Contemporary

Dedicated to the promotion of contemporary Malagasy art, the independent non-profit space Hakanto Contemporary was co-founded in Antananarivo in 2020 by artist Joël Andrianomearisoa, who also serves as its artistic director, and entrepreneur and patron Hasnaine Yavarhoussen. A project by artists for artists.

Hakanto Contemporary is a platform dedicated to artists, exhibitions, reflection, and meetings. Supported by the Yavarhoussen Fund, Hakanto Contemporary has, from its inception, fostered exchanges between the world and the local art scene.

© Hakanto Contemporary . © Studio Joël Andrianomearisoa

Four years after the success of its launch, the new Hakanto Contemporary space opens its doors on September 14, 2024, in Antananarivo, with a 2,000 m² building entirely designed and envisioned by artist Joël Andrianomearisoa. Divided into several modular spaces, its vast exhibition area also includes a bookstore, workshops, and a library, and transforms throughout the year based on proposals structured around major seasonal themes. While the inaugural season addresses the theme of family, the following season will explore love in all its forms through a diversity of poetic and daring projects.

From highlighting the emerging scene to rediscovering historical Malagasy artists, to fostering unprecedented and cross-disciplinary dialogues beyond the boundaries of the art world, this versatile space offers a rich program punctuated by events.

“The plurality of spaces allows us to organize our programming over different timelines: major exhibitions will change approximately every six months, and the projects presented in the three modules will be more flexible. Having such a vast and versatile playground is extremely motivating; we can go even further in our concrete commitment to contemporary creation.” — Joël Andrianomearisoa

A new breath for a committed place where, in the words of Hasnaine Yavarhoussen, “generations, social classes, and cultural backgrounds come together around what we have most precious to share: beauty, emotion, and art.”