Stories of your lives | Group exhibition | Galerie Max Hetzler | 01.03.-12.04.2025

The exhibition brings together a variety of remarkable contemporary artists who are redefining, expanding and challenging the possibilities and boundaries of portraiture, emphasising the enduring importance of this traditional genre in our complex and interconnected world.

Curated by Eugenio Re Rebaudengo, the exhibition celebrates portraiture not merely as a reflection of physical likeness but as a profound storytelling act – one capable of holding the complexity and depth of lives lived, dreamed, and yet to be imagined. Through this lens, the exhibition redefines portraiture as a dynamic and resonant genre, affirming its relevance in capturing the multifaceted essence of humanity today.

Inspired by author Ted Chiang’s acclaimed collection of speculative stories, Stories of Your Lives examines the contemporary portrait as a vessel for narrative. These works go beyond mere depictions of the individual; they serve as reflective mirrors of both personal and collective human experiences. The exhibition features an exceptional assembly of artists, including Giulia Andreani, Louise Bonnet, Glenn Brown, Manuele Cerutti, Marcus Cope, David Czupryn, Carroll Dunham, Walton Ford, Lenz Geerk, Ernst Yohji Jaeger, Ragnar Kjartansson, Sergey Kononov, Pia Krajewski, Victor Man, Danielle Mckinney, Keita Morimoto, Paulina Olowska, Pietro Roccasalva, Jan-Luka Schmitz, Rinus Van de Velde and Joseph Yaeger. Together, their works invite us to consider the personal and collective narratives embedded within each portrait and highlight the shifting nature of identity.

The participating artists engage with the human figure through a diverse range of approaches. Some adopt classical techniques, capturing figuration in its purest, most traditional forms, while others take a more experimental route, employing distortion, fragmentation, or abstraction to present a surreal or unconventional vision of the human form. Subtle gestures, moods, and atmospheres in certain works evoke a sense of intimacy and universality, making the portraits deeply relatable and personal. Meanwhile, other pieces are steeped in symbolism, myth, or allegory, weaving tales that extend beyond the individual to encompass broader cultural and historical dimensions.

By bringing together such varied artistic perspectives, Stories of Your Lives offers a compelling exploration of what it means to represent a life. The exhibition positions portraiture as a powerful medium where personal histories, collective memories, and speculative futures intersect.