South African visual artist Thania Petersen (Cape Town, 1980) is this autumn’s artist-in-residence at Afrovibes Festival and the Thami Mnyele Foundation in Amsterdam (28 September – 24 October). Known for her powerful textile installations, multimedia performances, and video works, Petersen reveals hidden histories and highlights an African perspective on cultural heritage.
As part of Afrovibes Festival 2025, Petersen presents a special screening of her video works at the Netherlands Film Academy on 8 October, in collaboration with the Master of Film programme. The evening reflects the festival theme “Legacy”, exploring the heritage of colonial imperialism, Cape Malay traditions, and Sufi myths, asking what we must remember to shape our future.
About Thania Petersen
Thania Petersen’s work has been exhibited worldwide, including at Ames Yavuz (Sydney, 2024), the Architecture Biennale (Venice, 2023), and Zeitz MOCAA (Cape Town, 2022 & 2021). Her work is included in major collections such as the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African Art (Washington, D.C.), Zeitz MOCAA (Cape Town), and the National Museum of World Cultures (Rotterdam). Through textile design, video works, performances, and installations, Petersen explores the legacies of colonial imperialism, Cape Malay heritage, and Sufi traditions—restoring hidden histories, reclaiming lost heritage, and imagining futures shaped by cultural memory.
Programme | 8 October – Netherlands Film Academy
19:00 – 19:15 Doors Open
19:15 Welcome & Introduction
– Nduka Mntambo, Netherlands Film Academy
– Pauline Burmann, Thami Mnyele Foundation
– Jay Pather, Afrovibes Festival
19:30 Film Screening: Kassaram (2020)
The word “Kassaram” is derived from an old Malay word meaning “a big mess” or “things being out of place.” This animated film reflects on the artistic strategies historically used by European colonisers to demarcate hierarchies among diverse communities in South Africa.
19:45 Artist Talk: Thania Petersen in conversation with Jay Pather
20:15 Film Screening: Jawap (2025)
“Jawap” translates as an invitation to sing and praise together. Petersen explores Sufi music as a living archive—sound as memory, sound as freedom—tracing its migration across borders and time as a form of sonic liberation.
20:30 Q&A with audience
20:45 Ends
Free entrance | Reservations via: reservering@afrovibes.nl (please mention name and number of tickets)