Through Our Eyes—Resonance and Illusion in Contemporary Portraits

The opening exhibition at CICA Vancouver brings together a curated selection of works by George Condo, Rashid Johnson, Derek Fordjour, Hernan Bas, Austin Lee, Javier Calleja, and others—many of which are being shown for the first time in Vancouver. Curated by Louis Blanc-Francard and Viahsta Yuan, the show explores contemporary portraiture in a post-pandemic context.

As humanity emerges from prolonged periods of solitude, the featured artists delve into the tension between individual and collective identity. Rather than depicting real sitters, these portraits embrace abstraction and ambiguity, using human figures as vessels for memory, emotion, and introspection. They investigate themes such as identity, gender, chaos, uncertainty, desire, and acculturation—raising questions more than delivering answers.

From George Condo’s melancholic blue portraits to Rashid Johnson’s emotionally charged Bruise Paintings, the works speak to both personal trauma and collective experience. Meanwhile, Austin Lee, Andre Butzer, Mr., and Javier Calleja offer joyful visual language that invites healing and resilience. These artists blend memories, emotions, and physical traits into fictional sitters, forging resonance and inviting viewers into deeply personal yet shared psychological spaces.

Through these portraits, CICA Vancouver fosters a participatory experience—one that speaks to the emotional landscape of our time and encourages reflection on the human condition.