dora lisa rosenbaum
b. 1979
Pacific Grove, CA
Performative Memory
Performative memory is defined as a “means through with societies remember.” Household day to day tasks, routines, rituals, consumption practices, and use of space within the home are all forms of performative memory. Focusing on home labor, specifically through the lens of laundry practices, this exhibition expands on my immigrant experience to comment on issues of displacement and explores the tie between scent, home, and belonging.
Originally from Guatemala, and raised in the United States, I have always lived between and within two cultures. I learned from an early age to question what would otherwise be taken for granted. In addition, I have had the opportunity to live in other countries, learn languages, as well as travel extensively to learn about different cultures. All of these experiences inform my way of seeing the world. With an anthropological approach, I observe and seek to understand my surroundings. My artwork is a visual manifestation of this process.
My background in printmaking draws me to repetition, process, and craft, and I am currently exploring a variety of materials in creating objects and installations. Rather than being bound to a consistent medium or format, my art practice consists of ongoing questioning, material experimentation and precise craft, resulting in work that is connected through a conceptual and aesthetic thread.
My process begins with extensive research, creating a strong conceptual backbone. With this rich focus, I then select the appropriate process(es) and materials to work with. Throughout the production of the piece, the conversation between materials and concept continues to develop. In the end, the piece dictates the process.
I strive to create ambitious work with integrity of research, concept and process. I embrace its quiet power, and use it to challenge assumptions and expectations. Ultimately, my goal is for viewers to reflect on the ideas I present through the context of their own everyday lives.
Image: dora lisa rosenbaum, Jabones Ambar: Agotada (Exhausted), 2018, etching collage, 10 x 6 feet