Anna Zorina Gallery is pleased to announce Ammon Rost’s solo exhibition, Omakase Gardens. Born in Japan and raised in both Tokyo and California, Rost presents a medley of works influenced by his cultural practices of discipline, intuition, and attention to the zen philosophy of balance.
Omakase is a Japanese phrase that means “I leave it up to you.” It is a unique experience that relies on trust in the chef to lead a thoughtful journey through unexpected moments of discovery. Rost thinks of his time in the painting studio as Omakase. He refrains from enforcing a rigid set of rules upon his practice and instead allows for the spirit of the painting to guide his process. Rost is committed to bringing forth his best effort while engaging with his artistic media. Omakase is based on working within a high standard while understanding that the most compelling work results from an openness to play and improvisation.
The paintings serve as reflections of his hybrid upbringing split between Eastern and Western cultures. Japanese aesthetics are harmonized with echos of American Modernist style. Negative space plays an important role in Rost’s work. The bold lines and vigorous brushstrokes are balanced by fields of solid color. It is a delicate dance of allowing expression to hold space while simultaneously creating room for rest and visual equilibrium.
Representation is not a goal for Rost, however, iconography is scattered among the intuitive gestures. Each abstract work is tied to a personal memory and the symbols contribute a specific reminder of the story, capturing the feeling of a specific place and time.
In Omakase Gardens, the paintings are the flowers of his labor and dedication to this practice. If willing, he asks you now, ‘Leave it up to me.’
Ammon Rost (Born 1980 in Tokyo, Japan) lives and works in New York City. Rost received his BFA in Art from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2004. He was a resident at the Silver Art Residency in 2020. Previous solo exhibitions include Loyal Gallery, Stockholm; New Image Art, Los Angeles and Ltd, Los Angeles. Rost’s work has been included in group exhibitions at Loyal Gallery, Stockholm; WIP Gallery, Beirut; Sargent’s Daughters, New York City; Wilding Cran, Los Angeles; Mindy Solomon, Miami and the Torrance Museum of Art, Torrance. His largest painting to date was commissioned for the Four Seasons, New York Downtown. The artist has been featured in an interview for Office Magazine.