CHIDINMA DUREKE
Chidinma Dureke is a millennial mixed-media artist based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Born in D.C. to parents of Nigerian descent, Chidinma was raised between Nigeria and the United States. Her unique cross-cultural perspective characterizes her art, which investigates and celebrates Black identity. Especially drawn to portraiture, Chidinma creates vibrant visual narratives that masterfully integrate elements of African art history, traditional portrait painting, and modern-day mass media.
Each portrait by Chidinma is a fresh fusion of bold colors, textile-inspired textures, and expressive forms that tell an intimately personal, yet universally compelling, story.
Chidinma’s interests and experience are as diverse as her portrait portfolio. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting and graphic design at Frostburg State University and has since pursued a career in visual art, graphic design, marketing, and film production design. Chidinma is the CEO of CHDesignz, a full-service design studio, and social media marketing agency, and the co-founder of Nkem Life, a popular blog, featured Washington Post, about culture and dual identity. Chidinma’s award-winning work has been exhibited in the U.S. and Canada and featured by Hype Hair Magazine, The Baltimore Sun, Essence.com, Buzzfeed, Google News Initiative and Amazon Prime.
SELECTED SOLO AND TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2022 Asian Fusion Gallery, Shipped And Sold, Washington D.C.
2021 Black Girls Who Paint, We Roam Freely Showcase, Virtual
2015 Anacostia Arts Center, The Journey For Regina, Washington D.C.
2015 Kaplan Gallery, Gen-Y 2.0, Rockville, MD
2014 Howard County Center for the Arts, Art Maryland 2014, Ellicott City, MD
2013 ArtDC, Small Works, Hyattsville, MD
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 Church of the Brethren Gallery, Human Rights, Civic Engagement, And Peacebuilding, Washington D.C.
2016 Atlas Performing Arts Center, 4C Hair, Washington D.C.
2015 Super Wonder Gallery, 2015 Manifesto Art Festival, Toronto, Canada
2015 Annapolis House of Delegates Building, The Guild, Annapolis, MD
2015 39th Street Gallery, The Summer Show, Brentwood, MD
2011 Stephanie Anne Ropper Gallery, Untitled, Frostburg, MD
HONORS AND AWARDS
2023 Grant, 2023 Liu Shiming Art Grant
2015 Award, Prince George’s County FORTY Under 40
2014 Grant, The Gerald King Fine Arts Award
2012 Grant, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Outstanding Artistic Performance 2012 Showcase, Bethesda, MD
2012 Award/Scholarship, Montgomery County, Society Incorporated Visual Artist
2009 Grant/Scholarship, Frostburg State University Honors
PRESS AND PUBLICATION FEATURES
2021 BuzzFeed – “30 Paintings in 30 Days Painting Portrait Challenge”. Digital
2017 Washington Post – “Two sisters aim to bring a bit of Africa and some flavor, to D.C.” . Print/Digital
2015 SunNewsOnline.com, Nigeria, ‘Chidinma Dureke Makes top 10 black women artists’. Digital
2014 The Baltimore Sun Newspaper [Baltimore] November 2014. . Print
ARTIST TALKS AND WORKSHOPS
2023 Church of the Brethren Gallery, Human Rights, Civic Engagement, And Peacebuilding, Washington D.C.
2021 Old Greenbelt Theatre, TITLES, Greenbelt, MD
2022 Asian Fusion Gallery, Shipped And Sold, Washington D.C.
2016 Atlas Performing Arts Center, 4C Hair, Washington D.C.
2016 Anacostia Arts Center, ‘Voices of Color: A Community Discussion’, Washington D.C.
2015 Anacostia Arts Center, ‘The Journey For Regina’ Washington D.C.
