Fractured Portrait Paintings by Vakseen

Los Angeles-based artist Otha “Vakseen” Davis III creates striking collage-style portraits that explore beauty, identity, empowerment and the Black experience. Best known for his ongoing Vanity Pop series, the self-taught painter breaks faces apart and reconstructs them through angular fragments, saturated color, fashion imagery and bold graphic patterns.

Eyes, lips and other facial features become layered focal points, often appearing alongside textiles, jewelry, typography and abstract shapes. Although the compositions may look like cut-paper collages, each element is hand-painted, with photorealistic details set against flatter graphic forms. The fragmented structures reflect the different identities and expectations people navigate, challenging narrow ideas of beauty while celebrating individuality, femininity and self-worth.

For more of Vakseen’s powerful paintings, visit his website and follow the latest updates on Instagram.

More art on the grid Artist’s website