Katasha Rose
‘A Brief Moment’ is captured in the soft brushes of Katasha Rose. A calm yet intense character looks at us, set on a blue abstract background, a slight glimpse of textured work appears on the right-hand side.
In this portrait of a woman, the artist blends her two styles of choice: abstract and figurative. Showing a certain duality in her work, her practice is a way for her to find her own expressive language, a language that defines who she is as a person and as an artist. Rose’s techniques reflect her own identity, being born and raised in Jamaica, the artist likes to explore her own heritage through art. Her journey through self-exploration is a means to find where to fit in society, and as a British Jamaican woman.
Katasha Rose (b. Jamaica) is a contemporary abstract and portraiture artist based in London and born in the Caribbean. Her work explores beauty, identity and heritage as seen through the lens and experiences of an urban Black British woman. An experience that is rooted in her consciousness and ties to rural island life in the Caribbean.
Rose’s identity as an artist was fully established during the global pandemic; as a self-defence strategy to combat the global sense of uncertainty, mental fatigue and fear. Her work has emerged internationally as she aims to amplify themes close to her heart, whilst using the paintbrush as a tool to inspire change in what remains an uncertain world. Katasha Rose paints either people that look familiar to her, or abstract landscapes with vibrant colours as a way to feel freer from figurative style preciseness.
Katasha Rose most recent group show was with Gallery OCA at Cromwell Place, Pouring from a Vessel of Knowledge, London, UK (2023); and Dozie Art in New York, NY, USA (2022). She had another international group exhibition in Athens, Greece that same year. Rose had numerous solo exhibitions around London such as her solo pop-up show at Soho House Brixton studio in 2022, and a solo and residency with Lauderdale Gallery in November 2021.