Mahefa Dimbiniaina Randrianarivelo is a Malagasy photographer whose work delves into identity, history, and social issues through a surreal and conceptual lens. His project, Train Ride, is a visual and auditory exploration of postcolonial identity in Madagascar, using the metaphor of a train journey to navigate the intersections of memory, displacement, and cultural inheritance. Blending surreal and documentary photography, the project examines how colonial legacies continue to shape Malagasy identity, from language policies to social hierarchies and internalised perceptions of self-worth.
“Train Ride reflects on the ways in which individuals and communities reconcile imposed narratives with their own lived experiences.” – Mahefa Dimbiniaina
Mahefa’s images embody a surrealist approach; at first glance, each photograph appears dreamlike and otherworldly. However, upon closer inspection, the underlying themes of violence and historical trauma emerge, revealing the enduring impact of colonial legacies on Malagasy individuals.
One particularly evocative image features a young child with paper planes flying across his face. However, the planes appear to be flying backwards, and one obscures his face entirely. This visual cue may symbolise the way colonial powers forced the Malagasy people into regression, erasing aspects of their identity and cultural autonomy.
Another striking image is a black-and-white, vintage-style portrait of a young woman. Initially, it presents itself as a beautiful fine art composition, yet closer examination reveals a subtle but unsettling detail: the front of her face appears slightly detached from the back of her head, with flowers filling the space in between and spilling outward. This fragmentation could signify the ways in which Malagasy people were compelled to suppress their true selves in order to conform to the colonial order. The imagery gestures towards Mahefa’s broader message on how colonial history is internalised, contested, and reshaped over time.
Through his work, Mahefa invites viewers to consider how inherited structures influence not only personal identity but also the broader cultural and societal landscape of Madagascar today.
Mahefa participated in Printed Visions: A Photobook Workshop for African Photographers, which ran throughout November and December 2024. The workshop was a collaboration between No! Wahala Magazine and Artphilein. Find out more about Mahefa Dimbiniaina’s work.
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