Mahefa Dimbiniaina

03/04/2026

20/02/2026

03/12/2025

This image was created during an assignment for VII Academy, an international training program dedicated to visual journalism.

Down syndrome is a genetic condition caused by an extra chromosome 21. It is the most common chromosomal disability worldwide. It occurs in about 1 out of every 1,000 to 1,100 births. People with Down syndrome may have mild to moderate intellectual disability, distinct physical traits, and sometimes medical conditions, but with proper support they can lead healthy, meaningful, and active lives.

Here: The sole of Zion Tehillah Razanakoto’s custom-made shoe in her home in Andraisoro, Antananarivo, Madagascar, on November 15, 2024. People with Down syndrome often have flat feet, a condition affecting up to 91% of individuals, necessitating special soles to aid walking, especially for young children like Tehillah.

Photo by Mahefa Dimbiniaina for VII Academy.

01/12/2025

I’m currently on a mobility stay on Réunion Island, taking the time to explore the local cultural landscape, meet people, and reconnect with the shared history of the Indian Ocean region. During this time I discovered Kromali, a vibrant festival of contemporary and urban arts held in Saint-Paul, where the city becomes an open-air playground for murals, installations, performances, music, and live creations.

It was an energising moment of exchange that reminded me how artistic practices travel, transform, and reconnect us across islands and histories.

I’m also excited to share that I will be part of the Arléo festival, an interdisciplinary event in Hell-Bourg, deep in the cirque of Salazie. I will begin an art residency in Salazie starting January, where I’ll develop new works exploring the landscape, narratives, and cultural memory of the cirque.

This trip is deeply meaningful. It is my first time travelling to another territory of the Indian Ocean, a region that shares many historical layers with Madagascar: from colonisation to migrations and intertwined cultural identities. As I continue working on post-colonial identity, being here allows me to encounter stories, archives, and sensibilities I could never access from afar.

This mission was made possible thanks to the AléVini Mobility Fund of the Commission de l'océan Indien - Indian Ocean Commission funded by the AFD - Agence Française de Développement.

14/10/2025

On 14 October 1958, Madagascar entered a new chapter in its history. Following the referendum held on 28 September of the same year, the Malagasy people voted in favor of joining the newly created French Community, proposed by General Charles de Gaulle. This decision meant that Madagascar would no longer be a French colony but would instead become an autonomous republic within the French Community, enjoying greater self-governance while still maintaining ties with France.

On that day, the Malagasy Republic (République Malgache) was officially proclaimed. It marked the end of direct colonial administration and the beginning of a transition toward full sovereignty. Philibert Tsiranana became the head of the new government and would later become the first president when Madagascar gained complete independence in 1960.

The proclamation of the Republic on 14 October 1958 is remembered as a decisive step in Madagascar’s path to nationhood. It symbolized the aspirations of the Malagasy people for autonomy, dignity, and self-determination, laying the foundation for the independent Republic of Madagascar that would emerge less than two years later.

- Commission for @42 Antananarivo -

18/09/2025

I’m excited to share that I’ve been selected as one of the commissioned artists for Tender Visions. Honored to have my works recognised among so many inspiring voices, and looking forward to contributing to this program.

https://www.tenderphotos.com/announcing-the-tender-visions-artists

21/03/2025

Last night, I had the profound experience of attending Madamaramose Tale, a documentary theater piece by Compagnie Miangaly Théâtre , commissioned by the Service de Coopération et d'Action Culturelle de Ambassade de France à Madagascar and Alliance Française de Tuléar. This innovative performance, held at the Ifm Madagascar , sheds light on the lives of female headmasters in Madagascar’s public and private elementary schools.

The journey began when Fela Razafiarison called me about a project focused on EPPs (Elementary Public Schools) in Madagascar. Given my personal connection—my mother being a headmaster of a private elementary school—I was immediately intrigued. The concept was unique: a theater documentary, where an actress on stage interacts with video interviews of headmistresses from EPPs in the Toliara region and private schools.

Through these interviews, these women shared their childhood stories, how they became teachers, headmistresses, and the challenges they face—especially regarding how society perceives them as women in leadership roles. The play is inspired by a UNESCO study on primary education in Madagascar, which revealed something that shocked me: only 35% of school headmasters are women.

As a child, I always assumed most school leaders were women because I only knew female teachers. But hearing these stories, I realized I wasn’t the only one with this misconception. In reality, many communities still resist women in leadership. Some people even write letters to DREN and CISCO demanding the removal of female headmasters.

The play is rooted in the findings of UNESCO’s study on school leadership in Madagascar, which highlights major disparities:
📌 Only 35% of primary school directors are women, despite the majority of teachers being female.
📌 22% to 27% of primary-aged children in Madagascar are out of school, meaning between 751,000 and 921,000 children are missing out on education.
📌 Children in primary school only have a 33% chance of reaching the final grade, showing how fragile the system is.
📌 Schools led by female headmasters tend to have better student outcomes, yet cultural biases still work against them.

Beyond the gender struggle, the play also exposes the fight for quality education in Madagascar. Between harmful traditions and a government that doesn’t invest enough in education, the challenges are immense. Despite a $100 million grant from the World Bank and the Global Partnership for Education in 2018 to improve basic education, the system remains underfunded.

I was in charge of the video segment, editing over 12 hours of interviews down to just 30 minutes. Watching and rewatching these testimonies, I was struck by how casual yet extraordinary these women’s struggles are. They endure so much, yet society sees it as normal.

I am incredibly grateful to have been part of this project. It was emotional, raw, and eye-opening. Madamaramose Tale is more than just a play—it’s a mirror to our society, reflecting the hidden battles of the women shaping the future of our children.

14/03/2025

For the past few years, I’ve taken this art thing seriously—really trying to find meaning in what I do. I’ve spent countless hours researching every subject I turn into photos, diving deep into art history, symbolism, and the origins of surrealism. And for a while, it felt great.

But at some point, I started wondering—am I creating for myself, or for the person I want to be? The process became heavier. Every project needed a big production, every idea required resources, and scouting locations took longer than ever. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s definitely not how I used to work 10 years ago. And unlike most people, I still like my photos from back then.

Now, I just want to find joy in creating again. Just me, photography, and Photoshop (or whatever people want to call it, I don’t care). I think I’m on the right path—let’s see where this goes.

- 喜ぶ -

mahefadimbiniaina.com

10/03/2025

Stills from

Vavaka, Nate Tex, 2025

Dir: dimbiniaina
Photography: Luc Raharijaona
Prod: Harinofy

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhCS00MM6u4&ab_channel=Harinofy

09/02/2025

Thank you No! Wahala Magazine and Artphilein

Mahefa Dimbiniaina is a Malagasy photographer whose work delves into identity, history, and social issues through a surreal lens.

08/02/2025

My first day in Berlin, it was minus 4 degrees Celsius—the coldest weather I had ever experienced. I didn’t know any German, except for the casual Ich liebe dich. I had a Zoom call scheduled with a residency commission.

The thing is, there was a misunderstanding between me and the only friend I had in this big city (which, by the way, is much bigger than Paris—I didn’t know that at the time). I got off at the wrong bus station, I couldn’t understand any of the signs, and, as it turns out, not many people there speak English. My friend wouldn’t arrive for another hour and a half.

So there I was, in a city I didn’t know, surrounded by people whose language I didn’t speak, with one of the most important meetings of my life happening in ten minutes. It might sound like a stressful situation, but actually… it was liberating. Not controlling anything, not thinking about anything, just standing there in the cold (which wasn’t even that bad, especially if you're used to the relentless 30-degree heat of a tropical island).

I don’t know if Berlin is that great—I didn’t spend much time there. But I did get to queue for a Japanese restaurant, go to an indie rock-themed nightclub, and sing Fall Out Boy songs at 2 a.m. in a phone booth-turned-karaoke booth with one of my best friends. We hadn’t spoken in years, and we haven’t talked much since then either, but she will always be one of my best friends. I have a lot of friendships like that—we don’t speak often, we don’t ask much of each other, but we’re there, hoping to reunite someday. Not under the sun on a beach somewhere, but in a chill wind, in a village in the mountains, in the middle of nowhere.

Those were some of the best days of my life. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel those emotions again, but I’m glad it happened. And sad that it ended.

05/01/2025

Kicking-off the year with some unpublished images of 'Ho Nofy Ihany' 'cause I really miss creating. No burn-out, no creative block, I just don't have time (I lack ressources too most times, you can't really enjoy Cola when you love Monster I guess).

It's kind of heavy.

Red Plane - in series 'Ho nofy Ihany', 2023