Faces of Lake Street

A painter for over 14 years, Hersi brings his finely tuned portraiture practice into new terrain, presenting four large-scale oil paintings alongside a short video he wrote and directed, offering a layered exploration of identity, labor, and human presence.

The portraits are based on four migrant workers who gather daily on Lake Street in search of work, individuals who are seen often, but rarely acknowledged. Hersi’s video gives space to their voices, while the portraits honor their presence with sensitivity and dignity. Together, the works offer a rare and intimate portrait of a community often overlooked.

Born to Somali parents and raised in India before immigrating to the U.S., Hersi’s journey through displacement, faith, and visual language shapes a body of work rooted in care and clarity. Hersi’s paintings carry a quiet strength—born from a deep understanding of what it means to live in-between.

Growing up in New Delhi as a Somali child, he often felt like an outsider—marked by skin, hair, and language that set him apart. That sense of displacement shaped how he sees others. In the men portrayed in Faces of Lake Street, he recognized something familiar. Through shared histories and quiet conversations, they found connection—and his brush became a way to honor that bond with honesty and care.

This exhibition is made possible through support from Lake Street Lift.