Tracey Rose | San Pedro V Omnibus: U’R A Nation
San Pedro first appeared in Rose’s Ciao Bella (2001), a feminist reworking of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, in which the artist played a cast of historical and fictional characters. Named after Saint Peter, San Pedro has since become one of her most enduring creations, changing appearance and purpose as Rose responds to the political and social concerns of the time.
One of the character’s most memorable appearances came in San Pedro V: The Hope I hope (2005). For the performance, Rose travelled to Jerusalem and appeared as a pink-painted San Pedro beside the West Bank barrier, playing an unconventional rendition of the Israeli national anthem on an electric guitar. The work used humour, costume and confrontation to question borders, political power and the authority attached to national symbols.
Described as an attempted running retrospective, San Pedro V Omnibus: U’R A Nation follows the character through works spanning 2001 to 2024. These include Ciao Bella (2001), The Hope I hope (2005), Ol’ Jerusalem Pussy (2005–07), Waiting for God (2005) and If Hitler Was A Girl Who Went To Art School (2023–24).
Across these appearances, San Pedro is never quite the same character. Rose continually reinvents the figure, using performance, constructed imagery and satire to challenge accepted ideas about belief, identity and power.
San Pedro V Omnibus: U’R A Nation offers a chance to follow the character through different periods of Rose’s career, from his first appearance in Ciao Bella to more recent work. While San Pedro’s appearance and circumstances have changed, Rose continues to use him to question the people, institutions and ideas we place in positions of authority.
About the Artist
Tracey Rose (b. 1974, Durban) is a South African multidisciplinary artist known for her performance-based practice, which extends into photography, video, installation and digital media. Her work frequently addresses race, gender, identity and the legacy of colonialism, often using humour, theatricality and unconventional imagery to challenge established ideas.
Rose studied at the Johannesburg Art Foundation before completing a BA in Fine Art at the University of the Witwatersrand in 1996. She later obtained an MFA from Goldsmiths, University of London, in 2007. She lives and works in Johannesburg.
Images courtesy of CENTRÅL and Tracey Rose.
Exhibition Details
Exhibition
San Pedro V Omnibus: U’R A Nation
Artist
Tracey Rose
Exhibition Dates
4 October – 1 November 2026
Opening Reception
Sunday, 4 October 2026 at 11:00
The exhibition opening coincides with Victoria Yards’ First Sunday Market.
Location
CENTRÅL
Victoria Yards
Johannesburg
