Creative Connector Updated on Apr 10, 2026 2 min read

Double Portraits

Tour-ready project by Sam Kasirer.

Keywords: exhibition, visual art

This series of large-scale portraits joins a growing movement of disability art that prioritizes self-representation and lived experience. By painting fellow disability artists, Sam offers not just a reflection of their faces but a recognition of their stories, bringing visibility to perspectives often overlooked. Kasirer-Smibert uses a distinctive technique, painting with both hands at the same time to accommodate his tremors while simultaneously simulating the double vision that accompanies his condition. Each work is a double portrait. Rather than focusing on minute details, the painting emphasizes the personality or expression of the faces, reflecting an emotional focus. This approach not only adapts to the artist's physical needs but also results in layered, almost mirrored portraits. It encourages viewers to perceive the sitter from multiple perspectives—both physically and metaphorically—alluding to the intricate nature of self-perception and identity.

About the Artist

I am Sam Kasirer-Smibert, a painter from Montréal, Québec. I have developed my painting practice over the years graduating from Concordia University and before that Dawson College Fine Arts. Painting and drawing found me – when I was about 13 my hand developed a tremor and I had to start writing with my left hand.

To practice, I would copy from the “how to draw” books. From wild animals to human faces and 3 point perspective. I became obsessed.
The tremor progressed, and additional symptoms were added to my repertoire. A diagnosis of cerebellar ataxia was determined in the next few years. The issues it brought to my physical body were challenging. But the art practices that developed became an anchor.

I have adapted the way that I work to mostly produce large scale oil paintings on canvas. My “dis/ability” has had a pronounced influence on how I engage with the world through art. I am compelled to throw my whole body into the act of painting.