About

     

     Cerena Robertson (b. 2000; Philadelphia, PA) is a multidisciplinary artist, known mostly as a painter, whose work was born from solitude and an unwavering commitment to self definition. Working primarily in oil and acrylic portraiture, she examines how reclamation of agency and memories are forged in the face of external control and friction.

     When outside criticism targeted her appearance, she painted food or a person with the very attributes being poked at as a direct response against the shaming. When difficult relationships attempted to sever her creative path, she painted the emotional weight of the moment and the strength required to break away. Her paintings focus entirely on what she fiercely guards whether through portraits, meaningful memories, or objects.

     Her practice is grounded in independent material exploration and lived history, enabling everyday moments and profound challenges to reveal broader conversations about survival and autonomy. By elevating her personal archive, she asks viewers to recognize their own resilience within these works and to consider how reclaiming one's narrative transforms history into unyielding beauty.

    Robertson attended Temple University’s Tyler School of Art, completing two years toward a BA in Visual Studies from 2019 to 2021. Her work has been showcased in notable exhibitions, including a solo exhibition at Camden FireWorks in 2025 that was featured on CBS Philadelphia, HoochieCon (2023-2024), group exhibitions with the Atlanta Innovative Arts Gallery (2022-2023), and early youth exhibitions through the City of Philadelphia at City Hall (2015) and The Episcopal Academy (2015-2019). Her professional journey also includes early contract illustration work for author Tomi Adeyemi on Children of Blood and Bone (2017), and features on platforms such as Afropunk. Robertson is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.