Cacie Rosario

Hometown: Glastonbury, CT
Education Background: BFA in Photography (Temple University)

How did you get interested in your field?
I thought I wanted to work in photojournalism or advertising. I enjoyed interviewing people, listening to their stories, and trying to capture them visually. During undergrad, I learned about Carrie Mae Weems’ Kitchen Table Series, and that was the first body of work that showed me how art can have its own language. It was inspiring to see layering of ideas and perspectives, and I was curious as to how exploration of material, place, age, and ethnicity inform the ways we remember people and places. After working at a design & development practice, I learned about adaptive reuse spaces and became interested in the history, and continuing evolution, of Philadelphia’s built environment. Now, I am exploring these photographic and spatial worlds alongside one another.

What was your background prior to coming to Penn?
Prior to Penn, I received my BFA from the Tyler School of Art (Temple University). Upon graduation, I worked as a photographer at an ad agency, as a marketing manager for a design & development practice, and as a social media manager. I continued my art practice for group shows and worked on freelance projects.

Why did you choose Penn?
I chose Penn because of its interdisciplinary approach – a different structure than my undergraduate experience that allows me to incorporate different media into my practice, like installation and printmaking, and different areas of design, like city planning and historic preservation – all housed under the same school. Over the last couple years, I felt like I was hitting a wall in my art-making and really sought to learn from and with other people. I’m interested in studying Philadelphia’s history, specifically the Black community’s cultural production & Philly’s built environment - and I liked Penn’s emphasis on research. Also, I was interested in Penn’s opportunities to TA and teach a class as a 2nd-year student.

What do you like best about Philadelphia?
I moved to Philly 10 years ago, and I’ve loved exploring the food, music, and art scene here. I’ve enjoyed Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Italian, Chinese, Laotian, Soul Food, Mexican, and Venezuelan cuisine (many of these places are not far from campus!) Philly has a rich music history, and music is a part of everyday life – from major concerts to musicians playing in the park and drumlines marching down the street. There are also many art museums and galleries to visit, and walking around the city you’ll see several of Philly’s 4,000 murals. And the Eagles – Go Birds!

What kinds of activities and/or organizations are you involved in?
I’m a part of Black at Weitzman and Art n Friends. This is my first semester, so I’m looking forward to exploring more of the student organizations as I adjust to grad life.

What are your career ambitions?
After graduating from this program, I hope to continue developing my art practice, and participating in & hosting group shows. I’d also like to teach and curate works for museums. Though, this being my first semester, I’m interested in seeing how my interests develop as I move through the program.