Envelopment
by Charles Rosenberg
September 1 – 28, 2023
Opening: Friday, September 1, 6 – 8pm
The Institute for Art and Olfaction welcomes Los Angeles-based artist Charles Rosenberg, whose show Envelopment is on view at IAO Gallery in September, 2023.
Envelopment refers to the effect of fragrances as well as the feeling one has when wrapped in a blanket. The artist has created a series of quilts that are presented in three-dimensional form, rather than as traditional wall hangings, so that the viewer is surrounded by each work. Fragrances created by the artist are inspired by the colors of each of the quilts, and experienced while standing within the space of the quilt.
The current series of quilts is an outgrowth of the artist’s explorations in geometric abstraction. This exploration started when he created a series of sewn paper works in the nineties. He also made his first fragrances at that time, when he worked at the legendary New York herb store Angelica’s. The work on paper that has constituted Charles’ art practice since then has been limited to black, white and gray but his craft practice – as manifested in his quilt works – has been a space in which he feels comfortable creating with color. Working with a range of colors parallels the creative work of perfumery which combines hues in the form of fragrance notes.
The artist has dedicated one of the works in the show to the memory of his recently deceased mother, who had an unconditional love of perfume; and another to the memory of Conor McTeague whose passion for fragrance was only limited by the boundaries of his grief.
Pictured: Detail from quilt
+ Download press release (opens PDF file)
+ Download list of works (opens PDF file)
Opening
Friday, September 1, 6 – 8pm
at IAO Gallery (932 Chung King Road, Los Angeles 90012)
IAO Gallery is accessible by wheelchair. There is a one-inch cement lip at the entry to the space.
+ Directions and parking
EXHIBITION PHOTOS
WORKS ON VIEW
Verdant Envelopment
Wool, Cotton, 66 in. x 37 in.
I have found in the course of my perfumery explorations that many scents really are experienced synesthetically: we smell herbs and leaves and we see green, or vice versa. The guide was clear that a quilt of green and brown colors would evoke a scent of green herbs and leaves and earthy woods and roots so I chose rhododendron, kaffir lime and marjoram, amongst others, as my green scents, and oud wood and angelica root to represent brown.
Blue Envelopment Jalousie
Wool, Cotton, 40 in. x 33 in.
I sometimes think of the patchwork design of the quilts as a ladder or stairway form but in this case the horizontal stripes evoke the slats of jalousie blinds. This is a hiding place; a place perhaps to close the blinds and sleep. For this scent I chose ingredients associated with sleep, including lavender and chamomile and the famously soporific valerian. And some ingredients, for this blue and black quilt, were selected also for their color association. So, the chamomile is the “blue chamomile” whose essential oil really is an intensely deep blue. And black pepper and elemi are present, both of whose fruits are black.
Mater-ial Envelopment
Wool, Cotton, 63 in. x 34 in.
This is dedicated to my late mother, Lisa-Clerc Rosenberg who passed away in December. She loved perfume and while she valued quality there was rarely a fragrant creation she didn’t like. She also loved pink so I chose some of the perfume ingredients for this one based on their “pink” association: rose, pink jasmine, pink peppercorn and pink grapefruit. Synesthetics played a role in the selection of the perfume materials, but so did memory associations. For example, I included tobacco and smoky birch tar in this mix because I have a childhood scent memory of smelling my mother’s mink coat after my parents had returned from a night out at the opera. My mother’s coat smelled of fur, the perfume she wore and cigarette smoke. It was a good smell.
Empty Warning
Wool, Silk, 54 in. x 59 in.
I’ve tried to subvert the usual relationship between the frame and the ground that exists both in visual art and in quilt making by inverting the location of the patching from the center to the boundary. The space where we expect to find content, has none and the outer edge does. This is dedicated to the memory of Conor McTeague. Conor bequeathed his collection of perfumes and his library of books on scents and perfumery to the Institute. There is no fragrance to accompany this piece as Conor’s presence cannot be invoked with a scent, at least not one I could create.
The artist wishes to thank Saskia Wilson-Brown, Daniel Krasofski, Zee Boudreaux and Robertet for the enthusiasm and support they’ve provided. And he especially wants to thank Ricardo Mendoza for his love and hard work.
ABOUT CHARLES ROSENBERG
Charles Rosenberg is an artist working in Los Angeles.
He has had solo exhibitions at Pacific Design Center (Los Angeles), Nation (Seattle), Sylvia Heisel (New York) among other galleries, and has been included in group exhibitions at Peter Mendenhall Gallery, Frieze LA, Francois Ghebaly Gallery, the California African American Museum, Sandra Gering Gallery, Last Projects, Galerie Ascan Crone in Germany, and many more.
Rosenberg received his M.S. from Bastyr University and his B.F.A. at Rhode Island School of Design, where he was the recipient of the Pell Medal for Excellence in Art History.
ABOUT IAO GALLERY
The Institute for Art and Olfaction’s gallery is devoted to exhibitions, performances, installations and other expressions that make use of or engage with the medium of scent.
Website: artandolfaction.com/exhibitions
Instagram: @artandolfaction
Contact: hello@artandolfaction.com