Brooklyn-based artist Rickie Du Burke creates ornate portraitures depicting Africana people in a state of introspection and reflection. Using deep, rich acrylics, canvas, and board, Du Burke's work builds a bridge between Afro-American modernity, religion, and ancestry.
"The act of painting becomes an act of confession and each canvas my confessor," states Du Burke. The self-taught New York artist published as a series of stamps for the governments of Guyana and Nevis and greeting cards for the Heritage Collection and Artful Greetings. His paintings are in collections both in the US and abroad and can be found in the collections of the likes of American novelist Reynolds Price.
Additionally, Du Burke's collage-like technique combines the physical layering of memory, politics and acrylic paint to depict scenes of figures ranging from contentment to rumination while giving subtle hints into each subject's spirituality. In his work, we can see a great attention to detail and lighting, as depicted in his sardonic piece entitled "Strange Days, Kanye" and "In the Shadow of the Moment". We're excited to see where his work takes his career next.
Instagram: @breukelen_artist