Skizofan
Skizofan, whose real name is Fanio Guillaume, is a Mauritian multidisciplinary artist born in Rodrigues in 1985, whose journey is as unique as it is inspiring. Self-taught, he taught himself to articulate words and construct sentences, developing a passionate love for language and its expressive power at a very early age. It wasn’t until 2009 that he discovered art and embarked on a career in performance poetry and slam, a field in which he quickly established himself as a major figure on the Mauritian and Francophone scenes. In 2011, he took second place at the Mauritius National Grand Slam before winning first place in 2013. His talent propelled him onto the international stage: the World Slam Cup in Paris in 2014, first place in the “Men Against Violence” Slogan Contest in 2015, and a finalist in New Literature at the Francophonie Games in Côte d’Ivoire in 2017. A collaborative artist, he partners with numerous artistic figures and experiments with dance, music, and film.
In 2019, Skizofan underwent a decisive artistic transition when he realized that his notebooks were no longer enough for him. He then discovered a new medium of expression: painting, where words now find their way onto the canvas. Based at Bactory, Gaël Froget’s studio, he developed a unique visual language in which colors and text merge into vibrant, expressive compositions. His collaboration with the Caudan Arts Centre came to fruition notably during the “Unlocked” exhibition, where he was mentored by Evan Sohun and Gaël Froget. This collaborative exhibition demonstrates his ability to engage with other creators while asserting his personal voice—that of an artist who has transformed his self-taught journey into a singular creative force.
Beyond technical virtuosity, Skizofan embodies the free and independent artist who refuses to be confined to a single discipline. His multidisciplinary approach blends slam poetry and painting into a language where colorful chaos meets the power of words. Recognized as an influential figure in the local art scene, he continues to explore the boundaries between oral and visual expression, between performance and painting. For Skizofan, art becomes a vital need to express oneself, a necessity to translate emotions and reflections through every possible means of expression, from recited text to pictorial gesture. His journey demonstrates that it is possible, through the sheer force of passion and hard work, to establish oneself as a recognized creator without traditional academic training.
Skizofan's works
