Symbols of quiet peace hang on the walls of the Plato Gallery. Oil paintings portray a life and legacy that feel both familiar and deeply personal; scenes we not only recognize but, in many ways, see ourselves inside. With “Input/Output,” Jacob Rochester, the Los Angeles–based artist, explores memory, nostalgia, family, and the way music collapses the distance between eras.
“I want viewers to be able to see the subjects, themes, and points of reference that have shaped a lot of my creative practice,” Rochester told me.
In the traditional sense, input and output describe the communication between an information-processing system and the outside world. This exhibition behaves the same way: What Rochester puts in — culture, family, sound, and heritage — becomes a series of transmissions back out to the viewer. The work exudes authenticity because it’s built from what formed him.
You see it everywhere: the traces of Jamaican reggae culture, the 1990s hip-hop esthetic, the tools and instruments that carried that sound. More than anything, though, you see people, souls full of passion, tenderness, and devotion pulsing beneath the surface. “Input/Output” is art imitating life, but also honoring it.
“I have a strong connection to my Jamaican culture that shows up in many ways, even outside of creating or directly pulling from it,” Rochester said. “Connecting the dots is a challenge I’ve always found both rewarding and fulfilling. I try to make works that are deeply personal, but in a way that I hope is still warm and inviting.”
That invitation often takes the form of flowers; glowing, delicate, and in striking contrast against the brown skin that often surrounds them.
Malcolm Johnson photos
“Upfront Portrait” by Jacob Rochester. 
Close-up of “The Crew Gazes Back” by Jacob Rochester. 
“La Da Dee” by Jacob Rochester. 
“Fazers” by Jacob Rochester. 
“Bryan’s Flowers,” “Nelgin’s Wreath,” and “The Intricacies of Jas” at Plato Gallery. 
Close-up of “Boy and Bouquet” by Jacob Rochester. 
Sunlight peeks through front window at Plato Gallery.
“The flowers throughout the show work as a reminder and through-line of ultimately paying homage and respect to the people in my life [who] feed and fuel my journey,” he explained.
It’s a complementary beauty that’s both tasteful and meaningful. Those of us who braved the freezing temperatures on opening night applauded Rochester’s ability to convey emotion through technique alone.
“I think a favorite of mine is through the use of shadow and contrast,” he said. “There’s a certain kind of mystery and tension that exists when a subject’s face is darkened by a shadow or the suggestion of emotion through that.”
Seeing Rochester’s work pulls my mind toward one word: memento — an object that asks us to remember, to bear witness, to hold something close. On canvas, Rochester’s recollections become a visual archive. To me, that makes him more than an artist; he is, quietly, a historian, although he might disagree.
“I have a deep respect for the past and sort of wield the things I’ve learned or observed by way of technique and composition,” he said. “I think having a conversation with the past and present is something that will always interest me.”
What is most striking about Rochester’s perspective is how he builds mountains of creativity from the smallest, most ordinary gestures. His work speaks to identity, humanity, and culture; a reminder that our existence never reaches dormancy and cannot be muted. His greatest feat may be the way he captures these intimate, delightful details.
“I think hairstyles are another re-occurring theme in my work that exists by means of self-expression and individuality,” Rochester told me. “A haircut can say so much about a person, in the same way hands or small accessories do, and it’s fun exploring all of the variations of it.”
“Input/Output” is not simply an exhibition; it is a memory bank, a cultural archive, and a full-bodied portrait of the people and influences that have shaped Rochester’s world. In seeing them, we recognize pieces of our own.
“Input/Output” will be on display at the Plato Gallery until March 7. For more information, visit platogallery.com/inputoutput.