“Through her use of ‘photo socials’ and mythological composition, Ayana Ross brings rigorous research and a kind of alchemy to her technically astute painting practice. The result is a representation of community and the cultural moment that is entrancing and timeless.” – juror Denise Ryner, Andrea B. Laporte Curator, ICA Philadelphia

“Ayana’s paintings participate in the tradition of epic narrative painting through grand scale and compelling tableaux, and she brings to that context the intimacy of personal experiences and a wry symbolic sensibility.” – juror Sarah Higgins, Director, Art Papers

Ayana Ross is a visual artist whose work combines traditional oil painting methods, using figurative realism, with elements of decorative treatment and ornamentation as a visual language to evoke nostalgia, elevate her subjects, and provide historical and cultural context. Ross’ paintings layer narratives that explore social and intergenerational themes, including identity, race, equity, and the broader evaluation of our value systems. Ross draws on the lessons found in everyday people and moments, encouraging consideration of what is valued and remembered as we reflect on the world we have inherited and the one we shape.

Ross (b.1977, Savannah, GA) lives and works in the metro Atlanta area. She holds an MA in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and her work has been featured in solo exhibitions at the Muskegon Museum of Art, the Reading Public Museum and most recently, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia as a 2024/2025 W orking Artist Project Fellow. Ross was recognized as the 2021 Bennett Prize winner, a 2024 Mellon Arts and Practitioner Fellow through Yale RITM, a 2024 Eben Demarest Award recipient and the 2026 Duncanson Artist-In-Residence at the T aft Museum of Art.