KC Rosenberg: The Abstracts’ Dilemma

Dr. KC Rosenberg’s artwork experiments with narrative structure. Her work continues a task assigned to Rosenberg in 2021, after she worked with a cognitive therapist to recover from a previous ministroke episode. While the damage from the brain injury was minimal, when listening to personal stories Rosenberg struggled to piece together content and folding together patterns has continued to be a challenge. As a result, Rosenberg was tasked with recalling stories linearly and paying attention to the order of these details. In her artwork, rather than examining narrative structure as a linear story, Rosenberg is interested in examining it as a process. The resulting abstractions are an experiential remembering without identifiable voice, place, or narration. Rosenberg’s material process happens mainly on the floor of her studio, where raw canvas is walked upon and catches poured paint. She washes the canvas and further responds to the marks that have remained. Rosenberg collages on the top surface, adding painted strips of canvas dripping with acrylic paint. The collaged lines appear empty and leave room for text placed within the space to activate poetic associations.

Dr. KC Rosenberg is an Associate Professor at California College of the Arts. She also conducts ethnographic research that emphasizes the power of visual arts education to teach critical social skills. Rosenberg simultaneously collaborates in a duo artistic practice as RoCoCo with Bay Area artist Modesto Covarrubias. Rosenberg’s solo exhibitions include Casserole Night at Mercury 20; dam’zel at Patricia Sweetow Gallery, San Francisco, CA; and Sedimental Sentiments at Introductions, Sacramento. Alameda County Art Collection includes KC’s artwork. She earned her Ed.D. in Organizational Change and Leadership from University of Southern California in 2020, and her MFA in Studio Art from University of California, Davis in 1994. She was awarded a residency at The Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture (1993), and earned a BFA in Printmaking with high distinction from CCAC in Oakland (1987).

September 13 – October 19, 2024
Gallery Hours: Fri + Sa, 12 – 5 pm
Artists’ Reception: Sat, September 14, 4 – 6 pm
Oakland Art Murmur / First Friday: October 4, 5 – 9 pm
Oakland Style Week Event: Friday, October 4, 12 – 5 pm

Image: KC Rosenberg, Stupid Things I Want to Tell You, 2024, Acrylic paint on washed canvas and wood panel, 30″x 40″, photo courtesy of the artist