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On View in Milwaukee

Rosy Petri

Here to Hear

September 19-December 15

MOWA on the Lake 

About the Exhibition

This exhibition is open to the public at MOWA on the Lake, located inside the retirement campus of Saint John’s On The Lake in downtown Milwaukee. Learn more

Opening Party | September 19

5:00–7:00

Working as a self-described “multi-media storyteller and self-taught artist,” Rosy Petri is inspired by Black history and music, line and color, and the sacred art and architecture of churches and cathedrals. Her textile works are both autobiographical and documentary, underpinned by the acknowledgment that her ancestors are descendants of the survivors of the Middle Passage. In homage to those ancestors who have gone before, Petri incorporates elements into her work that emphasize the importance of freedom, human dignity, and self-determination.

Brightly colored with bold compositions, her textiles celebrate both everyday people in Milwaukee as well as famous cultural icons like Aretha Franklin, Billie Holliday, Zora Neale Thurston, and Negro League ballplayers. A sense of community belonging is vital to Petri—whether in her immediate circle in Milwaukee, Theresa, Detroit, or Chicago or as a part of the larger African diaspora. Piecing together personally meaningful remnants of history, art, memory, and stories, Petri’s work reflects an openness to explore her own sense of identity and belonging, as well as fully bearing witness—being “here to hear”—the significant impact of others.

Featured Image: Harvest Moon, 2023