Congratulations to our fellow Thania Peterson who joined Ames Yavuz gallery!

Ames Yavuz is thrilled to announce representation of acclaimed South African artist Thania Petersen.

Petersen is a multi-disciplinary artist whose discourses focus on textiles, multi-sensory performance and installations. A direct descendant of Tuan Guru — an Indonesian Prince in the late 1700s brought to South Africa by the Dutch as a political exile — Petersen explores personal and historical identities by reconstructing herself in varied guises and theatrical personas. As a Cape Malay woman, her reference points include the history of African colonial imperialism, contemporary consumer culture, her personal ancestral rituals, and the legend and myths of Sufi Islamic religious ceremonies.

Petersen’s textile and embroidery works trace ancestral routes to present-day Cape Town and the migration of shared songs, crafts and stories. Seeking to retell histories from a place of love rather than violence, these works are inspired by her engagement with traditional musicians, craftspeople, theatre makers and storytellers from across Africa and Asia. Weaving these stories together, Petersen strives to restore lost friendships, broken songs and histories that have been buried and erased by colonialism and apartheid.

In her debut with the gallery, Petersen will present new works as part of our upcoming presentation at Art Basel Miami Beach from 4–8 December.

More info