Los Angeles artist combines portraiture, cultural storytelling and interactive technology in an exhibition asking: What stories will we leave behind?

“What makes a legacy?

For Los Angeles-based artist and storyteller Robert E. Hansen, the answer isn’t found only in what someone accomplished. It’s found in the stories that remain.

On Friday, October 2, Hansen will open The Art of Legacy at The Agency National Harbor, an exhibition of contemporary portraiture exploring people, stories and cultural influences that continue to shape us. The exhibition will remain on view through October 29.

The exhibition features 16 works depicting figures including James Baldwin, Maya Angelou, Gordon Parks, Nina Simone, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Michael Jackson and Kobe Bryant.

Hansen works across several forms, including intricate mosaics constructed from hundreds, sometimes thousands, of individual images and text-based portraits in which words become part of the image itself.

But Hansen doesn’t want the experience to end with looking at a picture.

Throughout The Art of Legacy, augmented reality adds another layer to selected works, while QR codes and NFC technology allow visitors to move between the physical art, its stories and the larger collection.

“The technology should never be more important than the story,” Hansen says. “If someone remembers the technology but not the person, the story or what the work made them feel, then I haven’t done my job.“

For Hansen, the exploration of legacy is personal. He created his first mosaic portrait in 2021 following the loss of his mother. What began as a way to preserve one person’s story developed into an artistic practice centered around memory, culture and the ways stories survive us.

“I believe our stories are part of our legacy,” Hansen says. “My work is my interpretation of those stories, but I also want people to leave thinking about their own. What story are you leaving behind?“

The exhibition will also offer the first public look at SWATCHES, Hansen’s newest approach to portraiture, where color becomes the storytelling medium. Two new works, Doe, Ray, Me, depicting a young Michael Jackson, and Purple Haze, depicting Prince, will preview the new series ahead of its 2027 debut.

Mosaics tell stories through images. Text Messages tell stories through words. SWATCHES tells stories through color.

A graduate of New York’s School of Visual Arts, Hansen was also a featured artist in All Artists Have a Seat at the Table, an IKEA-sponsored exhibition curated by the Pan African Film & Arts Festival. His piece, “The Founder’s Chest”, honored PAFF founders Danny Glover, Ayuko Babu and the late Ja’Net DuBois.

The Art of Legacy is curated by Aaron Charles. Ten percent of proceeds from artwork collected during the exhibition will benefit We Will Survive Cancer.

EVENT DETAILS

• The Art of Legacy: Stories. Art. Inspiration.
• Opening Reception: Friday, Oct 2, 2026 | 7–10 p.m.
• On View: October 2–29, 2026
• The Agency National Harbor
• 120 Waterfront Street, Suite 420
• National Harbor, MD 20745

MEDIA CONTACT

• Robert E. Hansen
• I Am Robert Hansen
• ro****@*************en.com
• iamroberthansen.com