This work was part of the exhibition Loss as a Gift, presented at PFOAC in May 2026. This body of work centres around the phenomenal reordering of experience that comes with facing the loss of someone dear. Lee’s works wander through the emotional hues of grief, looking to reveal the weighty gifts it bears.


James Lee Chiahan (李佳翰, b.1990 Taiwan) works and lives in Montréal. He primarily works in oil painting and charcoal drawing and has also created several murals in both public and private settings. Recently, he has completed murals for BMO (2025, René-Lévesque /De Bullion, Montreal), Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP (2024, Montreal), and Montreal's Chinatown (2024 with Bryan Beyung). He is currently collaborating with Bryan Beyung on a large-scale mural honoring Frédéric Back. The project is part of MU’s 20th-anniversary celebrations, which include the unveiling of four new murals paying tribute to prominent figures in Quebec’s cultural heritage. He is also widely recognized for his illustration work, which has earned him numerous awards from prestigious institutions, including American Illustration 43 (2024, 2025), the Canadian Magazine Awards (2024, Grand Prize for Cover Art), Jackson's Art Prize (2024, Shortlist), and The Society for News Design (2024), among others. His clients include The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Walrus, The New York Times, and Apple. His work is held in private collections worldwide and has been exhibited in Canada and the United States. He has been selected as a finalist for the Kingston Prize 2025 and 2026.