Curtis Newkirk Jr.
Curtis Newkirk Jr.’s paintings are inspired by black culture, heavily influenced by hip-hop, fashion, his southern roots, and his love for the city. Curtis received a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. Most recently, his work was added to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts collection in Richmond, Va. He was also featured in the New American Paintings 2020 South Issue and the 2020 documentary, The Builder.
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2023 | “WiP!”, Hamiltonian Artists, Washington, DC (group)
2023 | “Time Machines”, Visual Arts Center of Richmond, Richmond, VA (group)
2022 | Sweet Dreams Society Exhibit, Graduate Hotel, New York, NY (group)
2022 | “Summer Salon”, Graduate Hotel, Richmond, VA (solo)
2022 | “Ctrl-Atl-Del” Highpoint Gallery, Richmond, VA (group)
2022 | “Black Void” Black Iris Gallery, Richmond, VA (solo)
2021 | 3rd Annual Charity Art Gala, Black History Museum & Cultural Center, Richmond, VA (group)
2021 | “Zone 10” Eden Airlines, Richmond, VA (group)
2020 | “FOUR HORSEMEN & THE APOCALYPSE” Shockoe Artspace, Richmond, VA (group)
2019 | National Juried Exhibition, The Maria V. Howard Arts Center, Rocky Mount, NC
2014 | “Life Beyond the Mist” Massey Cancer Center at VCU, Richmond, VA (solo)
2014 | “Life Beyond the Mist” Barcode First Friday, Richmond, VA (solo)
2012 |“Re-Form” Shockoe Artspace, Richmond, VA (group)
2009 | 14th Annual Juried Exhibition, League of Reston Artists, Reston, VA
COLLECTIONS
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VA, June 2023
ARTIST RESIDENCY
2022- 2023 | Artist in Resident, Visual Arts Center of Richmond, Richmond, VA
2022 | Artist in Resident, Graduate Hotel, Richmond, VA
Curtis primarily works with oil and acrylic on wood. His work style involves bold colors, detailed objects and figures, and abstract brushwork. His paintings are an extension of his identity and life experiences. They are inspired by black culture, heavily influenced by hip-hop, fashion, his southern roots, and his love for the city. Curtis strives to create work that portrays African Americans powerfully and positively and to represent black and brown people in the art community.