Creating art is not limited to the production of a work. Art can also contribute to better self-knowledge, facilitate the expression of emotions, and help overcome certain barriers. Without claiming to provide medical cures, artistic practices offer many people a space for expression and personal reconstruction. Malagasy artists Vony Ranala and Mira Andrianarisoa share this conviction through their own experiences.
Vony Ranala prefers to speak of the link between art and care rather than using the term “art therapy,” which she considers too broad. According to her, it is primarily a process where artistic practice allows for overcoming psychological, emotional, physical, relational, or social blocks. “Well-chosen tools, handled in the right conditions, can work miracles,” she affirms. All forms of art—such as theater, slam poetry, dance, photography, or writing—can become means to regain self-confidence, communicate better, manage emotions, or find one’s place among others.
Art can also act through a simple encounter with a work. Vony Ranala mentions the cathartic power of theater or the effect music can have on a person. For her, the specificity of this approach lies in the absence of drugs or medical equipment: speech, games, drawings, movements, or questioning become the main tools for guidance.
A benevolent gaze
She reminds us, however, that this approach does not work the same way for everyone and does not promise perfection, but rather a personal journey.
Professional photographer, member of UPPM, co-director of Ymagoo, and photographer at the Bitiky studio, Mira Andrianarisoa develops phototherapy. “The goal is not technical performance or aesthetics, but to make the invisible visible in order to promote self-expression and restore self-esteem,” she explains. Through the camera, she invites people to cast a benevolent gaze upon themselves in order to reconcile with their bodies, their history, and their emotions.
This approach is particularly aimed at people facing a lack of self-esteem, complexes related to their image, emotional blocks, or transitional periods such as postpartum, post-operative recovery, or separation. Her artistic universe favors black-and-white portraits, where emotion, vulnerability, and authenticity take precedence over appearance.
“Seeing oneself truly through a benevolent gaze is the first step toward healing,” she emphasizes.
A multidisciplinary artist, actress, director, and author, Vony Ranala has been active for nearly 20 years in contemporary theater, slam poetry, dance, photography, and children’s literature. She also directs the artistic laboratory Nouvelles Scènes Madagascar (NSMLabo).
Cassie Ramiandrasoa
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-07 05:43:01 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/art-therapie-lart-ouvre-un-chemin-vers.html