Mbolatiana Raoilison (Clipse Teean)

Description

Mbolatiana Raoilison who’s artistically known as Clipse Teean is a multidiscipline artist from the capital city of Antananarivo, Madagascar.  The urban sprawl was built along a rocky ridge that served as a fortified strategic point for the Merina Kingdom.  Two forts watch over the city from the east and southwest, while within its boundaries you can find royal palaces, embassies, and Christian and Islamic houses of worship.  An established major city before colonial rule whose history dates as far back as the 16^th century, makes the Malagasy people a treasure of Africa and the world.

Specializing in street art, Clipse also has received notoriety for her sculpture, welding, carpentry, airbrush, collages, and gallery work. Exhibiting throughout the globe, the award-winning talent is truly an artist without borders.  Today, she uses her talents as a form of activism to elevate graffiti as an art form instead of a form of vandalism. She is a full-time artist and currently works with associations, NGOs, hotels and businesses.  For over a decade, Clipse has been a formidable contributor to professional and art organizations like Jamerla Koonaction in Madagascar, The International Business Music of Chambers in Amsterdam, Rusted Mic Renegades in Spain, and the Label Kolotsaina Mainty. Having mastered a multitude of techniques, she continues to experiment in various styles to push her art works and the culture forward.

In her own words: “The letter on each canvas transcribes my emotions that range from frustration to joy.  When I first discovered graffiti I was immediately inspired by what I saw. It made me question myself.  As I grew in the discipline, I found my art to be a weapon for education. I promote themes of good citizenship and dismantle the prejudice and stigmas we face.  Through the themes which reflect the realities of the lives around us, the history of the country, and beautifying spaces in ways that provoke the mind, I hope to modernize my city and make it a destination for art like no other.”