Rose's works are characterized by an outstanding mix of graphic elements and symbols. The artist claims that life is nothing more than a dictionary of symbols: “We look to symbols everywhere to help us make sense of our existence. From the mundane to the mystical symbols are totems that give order to the chaos and also help define ourselves as a tribe. ” Rather than use symbols for their intended significance, Rose always recontextualizes meanings in unexpected ways – creating abstract visuals composed of symbols invented and culled from the annals of visual history. Aaron Rose is an artist, film director, curator and writer. From 1992-2002 he was the owner of Alleged Gallery in New York. Rose was director of the feature documentary film Beautiful Losers, which began its theatrical run in 2008. He has directed numerous commercials, short films and movies for television. In 2011 he co-curated (with Roger Gastman and Jeffrey Deitch) the exhibition Art In The Streets at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA)in Los Angeles. Rose has exhibited his artworks internationally and is editor of ANP Quarterly, a quarterly arts magazine. His publishing imprint, Alleged Press (Damiani) releases monographs by contemporary artists.
