Biography

Petra Stavast (Tiel, NL, 1977) is a visual artist. Through the media of photography, film and text she unravels and structures complex social issues often departing from a seemingly insignificant personal observation. In books and installations she brings different fragments of research together and translates them into compelling visual stories.

Together with graphic designer Hans Gremmen, curator/writer Karin Krijgsman and artist Dieuwertje Komen she founded Fw:Books, an independent publishing house with a focus on photography and related topics.

Exhibitions (selection)
– 2022
AG Utrecht (NL), ‘Souvenir’, curated by Maite Vanhellemont
San Serriffe, Amsterdam (NL), installation and booklaunch ‘S75’
Museum Sitterwerk, St.Gallen (CH), ‘One can build a table for 425 books’, curated by Roma Publications
– 2021
Double Dummy, Arles (FR), ‘The Spectators’, curated by CALAMITA/Á.
– 2019
Rongwrong, Amsterdam, exhibition at the bookpresentation of ‘On Gestures of Doing Nothing’ by Sander Breure, Witte van Hulzen and Arnisa Zeqo.
Monash University Museum of Art (MUMA), Caulfield Melbourne (AU), ‘Bookworks’, with Roma Publications.
– 2018
Museo Torre Civiva, Castelfranco Veneto (IT), part of Osservatorio OMNE, ‘CRRRR – Archivio di F.E.R.V.E.T.’, 4-channel video-installation.
POST Books, Tokyo (JP),’Ten Years Fw:Books’.
De Vooruit, Ghent (BE),‘Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast’, screening short movie ‘KOEN’.
Fonderia 20.9, Verona, (IT), CALAMITA/Á – An Investigation around Vajont.
– 2017
Scope Galerie, Hannover (DE), ‘Ramya’.
Spazio Labo’, Bologna (IT), ‘Ramya’.
Tondelier/Rabot, Ghent (BE), permanent work in public space, Koen Blieckplein.
– 2016
Matèria Gallery, Rome (IT), CALAMITA/Á
Photoszene, Kunsträume Horbach Stiftung, Cologne (DE), ‘Innere Sicherheit / The State I am In’.
MMCA, Seoul National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (KR), ‘Artists’ Documents: Art, Typography and Collaboration’.
– 2015
Museo MACRO, Rome (IT), FotoGrafia Festival ‘Book’s Space’.
Marres, Maastricht (NL), ‘Intimacy / Chambres d’Amis’.
POMO Galerie, Milan (IT), curated by Saul Marcadent, Searching for Ramya’.
Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (NL), ‘On the Move’.
– 2014
Fondazione Giuliani, Rome (IT) ‘ROMA PUBLICATIONS 1998 – 2014’.
Contemporary Art Museum Erarta, St. Petersburg (RUS) ‘Undercover’.
CAMeC – Centro Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, La Spezia (IT) ‘Reading Photographs’.
– 2013
Stadsarchief Amsterdam, ‘Fotostudio Merkelbach’.
C/O – La Fabbrica del Vapore, Milan (IT), Taking Careof’.
– 2012
Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam ‘Celebrating the photobook’.
Noord-Hollands Archief Janskerk, Haarlem, ‘Trading Places’.
Temporary Gallery, Cologne (D) ‘Autumn of modernism ll’.
De Vleeshal & De Kabinetten, Middelburg, ‘Autumn of modernism’.

– 2011
NEST, Den Haag, ‘Tangible Time’.
De Kunsthal, Rotterdam, ‘Trading Places’.
Smart Project Space, Amsterdam, ‘Prix de Rome 2011’.
CBKU, Utrecht, ‘Stadsgezichten I’.
– 2010
Galleria Bluorg, Bari (IT) in collaboration with the Dutch Embassy, ‘Libero’
FotoGrafia Festival Rome (IT), ‘Visions & Documents’ by Documentary Platform
Kunsthalle Galapagos, New York Photo Festival (US), ‘DutchDocSpace’
RotDocFotofest, Rotterdam, ‘Close to home’
Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, ‘Quickscan NL#01 – Photography Now’
De Kabinetten van De Vleeshal, Middelburg, ‘Published by: Roma Publications’
– 2009
Photographic Culture Festival, Lishui (China), ‘Libero’
PhotoEspana, Cuenca (ES), ‘Miradas Internacionales / International Perspectives’
NPS Kunststof – Radio 1, interview (one hour, in Dutch, click to play)
Fotofestival Naarden, exhibition and bookpresentation ‘Libero’
KOP, Breda, ‘Oog in oog’
Galerie Bart, Amsterdam, ‘Portraits’
– 2008
Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, ‘S75’
Fotoforum, Kassel (D), ‘Pages’ + exhibition and bookpresentation ‘China/S75’
Dorrotya Gallery, Budapest (HU), ‘Pages’
Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam, ‘Pages’
– 2007
SBK/Galerie 32-34, Amsterdam, ‘Fw:Miscellaneous’
Fotogalerie de Kleine Klup Leiden, ‘De Laatste Foto’
– 2006
L’espace Bellevaux, Lausanne (CH) DE: Amsterdam
SBK/Galery 32-34, Amsterdam, selection Foam_3h
Stadsgalerij Breda, nominees Johan Diepstraten Prize
The Voies off Fringe Festival, Arles (FR), screening collective Fw:
Foam, Amsterdam, Fw:S75
– 2005
TAC, Eindhoven, ‘Kennis van de lege ruimte’
KUS-festival Breda, ‘Private matters’
Festival Breda Photo, Fw:Centerfold
Fotofestival Naarden, Fw:Liefste
Noordbrabants Museum ‘s-Hertogenbosch, solo ‘Petra Stavast’
Cacaofabriek Helmond, ‘Alles van waarde moet weg’
– 2004
Westergasfabriek, Amsterdam, Fonds BKVB ‘Uitgelicht 4’
NBKS, Breda, ‘Match’
– 2003
NBKS Breda, ‘Frisse Blik’
Breda Photo, ‘Ramya’
– 2002
Nederlands Fotomuseum Rotterdam, ‘Ramya – winner Steenbergen Stipendium’

 

Books
S75 – published by Roma Publications, 2022
Ramya – published by Roma Publications + Fw:Books, 2014
Libero – published by Roma publications, 2009
China/S75 – published by Roma publications, 2008

Generously supported by Mondriaan Fund, Tijl Fund