Exhibitions
Vannie Kaap
Exhibition by Thania Petersen
GRANOLLERS
Roca Umbert Fàbrica de les Arts
Dents de Serra – Carrer d’Enric Prat de la Riba, 77
From October 10, to November 24
Schedule
Friday 16.00 – 20.00 h
Saturday and Sunday: 10.00 – 14.00 / 16.00 – 20.00 h
Special schedule during the Focus Week of Manifesta 15 Barcelona Metropolitana From, October 8, to October 13
From Tuesday to Sunday: 10.00 – 14.00 / 16.00 – 20.00 h
Thania Petersen embodies the multifaceted histories, spiritualities, melodies, and cultures of the Afrasiatic Sea. Central to her artistry is her blended Afro-Asian heritage and dedication to Sufi traditions. She interprets the seas as repositories of collective memory, retracing ancestral paths to modern-day post-apartheid Cape Town to resurrect erased narratives and revive historical figures, stitching them back into existence. Through collaborative efforts with artisans, musicians, and Sufi choirs from Africa and Asia, Petersen’s work seeks to restore lost connections and dismantle colonial borders, fostering unity through storytelling, craftsmanship, music, and spiritual rites.
Thania Petersen
Thania Petersen (Cape Town, 1980) is a multi-disciplinary artist who uses photography, performance and installation to address the intricacies and complexities of her identity in contemporary South Africa. Petersen’s reference points sit largely in Islam and in creating awareness about its religious, cultural and traditional practices.
She attempts to unpack contemporary trends of Islamophobia through her analysis of the continuing impact of colonialism, European and American imperialism, and the increasing influence of right-wing ideologies.
Threads in her work include the history of colonialist imperialism in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the social and cultural impact of westernised consumer culture. Her work is also informed by her Cape Malay heritage, and the practice of Sufi Islamic religious ceremonies.
Petersen studied at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art in London. She has held solo exhibitions at WHATIFTHEWORLD, Cape Town, the AVA, Cape Town and at the Everard Read Gallery, Cape Town. She has participated in numerous group exhibitions both locally and abroad.
Petersen is represented in various public and private collections including World Cultures Museum Rotterdam (Netherlands), Smithsonian Museum (Washington DC), Oscar Niemeyer Museum Curitiba (Brazil), The Durban Art Gallery, The IZIKO South African National Gallery, Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), The Kilbourn Collection, The Jochen Zeitz Collection (South Africa), and The Yeojoo City Collection (South Korea).