Vita Petersen's Final Black-and-White Works Open at New York Studio School

An exhibition of Vita Petersen's last works opens January 27 at the New York Studio School, located at 8 West 8 Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues. Petersen, who passed away in October 2011 at age 96, was a key figure connected to the New York School. She shifted to black-and-white compositions after an eye condition prevented her from working with color. The show, which runs through March 10, features pieces that evoke a longing for color's vibrancy despite its absence. A reception will be held on January 26. Petersen served the Studio School for decades as a teacher, governor, trustee, and confidant to students and deans. She arrived in New York as a refugee from Nazi Germany in 1938, befriending founder Mercedes Matter. Through Matter, she connected with Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock, and Hans Hofmann. Born into an aristocratic Berlin Jewish family, she was a descendant of Moses Mendelssohn and sister to medieval art historian Otto von Simson. In 2007, gallery director David Cohen interviewed Petersen for a short film by Graeme White, where she discussed the school's founding, her training, and her artistic focus on sensual forms. The film captures her fearless yet gracious personality, balancing generosity with a painterly hunger for sensual delight.