The Fondation H has invited curator Abdellah Karroum to offer a new and original reading of its collection. The collection brings together works by artists largely from the African continent, creating historical, cultural, and political bridges and dialogues with Madagascar, Africa, and the rest of the world. For this exhibition, Abdellah Karroum has selected more than 50 works by 41 artists.

Inspired by kabary, a traditional form of oratory practiced in Madagascar, the exhibition is conceived to open multiple avenues of reflection on the Fondation H Collection and on the role of art in contemporary societies. Structurally, kabary follows a conventional progression, whose architecture Abdellah Karroum transposes into the exhibition space. The guest curator thus proposes a three-part visitor journey, each section carrying its own distinct density and tone.

The first chapter acts as an introduction to this Kabarin-javakanto [discourse of artworks], establishing the framework of the discourse, its intentions, and the conditions for encountering the Fondation H Collection. The second chapter unfolds with a generous density, evoking the world of a personal collection, like a cabinet of curiosities dear to collectors. This chapter forms the core of the discourse, with groups of works placed in dialogue, united by the artists’ engagement with the major issues of our time. The third chapter offers a sense of monumentality, turning toward the future and thus bringing this kabary to a close.

“I see the Fondation H Collection as a set of expressions reflecting our time—works produced on the African continent or resonating with the major issues of our continent. The coherence of the collection lies in a passionate approach to acquisition that, over the years, has evolved into a committed and civic institutional project.”