Sanza Soul: Certified by Pelekara

Exhibition Website

Oct 5 2018 - Jan 26 2019

Severin Pelekara was raised in Cameroon and was born in the Central African Republic. He is a recent immigrant and is hoping to build a life here in the United States. Sanza (pronunced san-ja) is a patterned cloth used in Central African Republic where Pelekara was born. The patterns shown in this exhibition are his soul narrating memories and expressions of events, people and stories from his childhood. They are representative of the traditions, heritage and the African culture that influenced Pelekara’s life and are a way to tell the story visually with many symbols, showing the experiences that have shaped who he has become and who he will grow to be.

All of the patterns exhibited will soon be printed digitally onto fabric and used to create African inspired clothing and to decorate household goods. Pelekara’s goal is to create 100 designs to continue to tell the stories of his life, the past and stories that he will have to tell in the future.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website 

  • Various Media
  • American
  • Contemporary
  • Severin Pelekara

Exhibition Venues & Dates