Faces of War: Shujaa

by Roy Cacek

“In my series Faces of War, I explore the human toll of conflict through my signature painted mosaic technique—composed of individual, hand-painted color squares. Up close, the portraits are fragmented and abstract, reflecting the disorientation, trauma, and emotional rupture of war. The viewer is drawn into a visual chaos that resists easy comprehension. As one steps back, faces begin to emerge. From a distance, the human form resolves, inviting recognition and reflection. This perceptual transformation mirrors how time and distance affect our understanding of conflict—how clarity, empathy, and meaning often come only after we’ve gained perspective. Each portrait stands as a meditation on memory, identity, and survival. Influenced by Gestalt theory, the work asks the viewer to actively piece together what war has torn apart—inviting a deeper contemplation of how we remember, represent, and reconcile with the past.”