May 7, 2026
Amir Zaki
No Dust to Settle
Diane Rosenstein Gallery
April 4 - May 9, 2026
Amir Zaki
The saying "waiting for the dust to settle" might refer to when things will calm down and return to normal. It could be said that "the dust never settles" and there is no state of definitive calmness because everything is in flux, both in life and in art. This might be taking the personal into account by reading too much into the title of Amir Zaki's current exhibition, his third with Diane Rosenstein Gallery. That being said, Zaki has titled his exhibition No Dust to Settle. It is a play on words and offers insight into the entirety of Zaki's photographic works. Throughout his long career he has photographically examined the built and the natural landscape of California, often creating interventions that render the real surreal. His subjects have included piers, empty skateparks, trees at night as well as commercial signage devoid of text. Using digital tools and embracing what is possible with technology, Zaki makes subtle changes to what the camera documents: compositing numerous images to distort perspective, or adding or erasing information to augment the architecture and its environs. The photographs that make up No Dust to Settle are black and whites images of public libraries shot in Orange County, CA. Many of these were designed by noted post-war architects such as Richard Neutra or William Pereira. At first glance, the image Buena Park, La Palma Library, #14 (all works 2025) is a documentary style black and white picture of Pereira's library (built in the 1960s). At the bottom of the vertical image sits the library — a low horizontal one story structure. In front of it, is a large tree that extends into the sky, towering over the building. The are no people in the image. It is strangely lacks any human presence, as well as any signage which is unusual for a public library. For those familiar with Zaki's work, the image begs the question: what has Zaki done? Has he altered the scene in some way?
Originally published in Art and Cake, April 9, 2026
To read the full review in Art and Cake click here.
No Dust to Settle
Diane Rosenstein Gallery
April 4 - May 9, 2026
Amir Zaki
The saying "waiting for the dust to settle" might refer to when things will calm down and return to normal. It could be said that "the dust never settles" and there is no state of definitive calmness because everything is in flux, both in life and in art. This might be taking the personal into account by reading too much into the title of Amir Zaki's current exhibition, his third with Diane Rosenstein Gallery. That being said, Zaki has titled his exhibition No Dust to Settle. It is a play on words and offers insight into the entirety of Zaki's photographic works. Throughout his long career he has photographically examined the built and the natural landscape of California, often creating interventions that render the real surreal. His subjects have included piers, empty skateparks, trees at night as well as commercial signage devoid of text. Using digital tools and embracing what is possible with technology, Zaki makes subtle changes to what the camera documents: compositing numerous images to distort perspective, or adding or erasing information to augment the architecture and its environs. The photographs that make up No Dust to Settle are black and whites images of public libraries shot in Orange County, CA. Many of these were designed by noted post-war architects such as Richard Neutra or William Pereira. At first glance, the image Buena Park, La Palma Library, #14 (all works 2025) is a documentary style black and white picture of Pereira's library (built in the 1960s). At the bottom of the vertical image sits the library — a low horizontal one story structure. In front of it, is a large tree that extends into the sky, towering over the building. The are no people in the image. It is strangely lacks any human presence, as well as any signage which is unusual for a public library. For those familiar with Zaki's work, the image begs the question: what has Zaki done? Has he altered the scene in some way?
Originally published in Art and Cake, April 9, 2026
To read the full review in Art and Cake click here.