Chidinma 's profile
Chidinma Dureke is a millennial mixed-media artist based in the Baltimore region and 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. At the heart of Chidinma’s multifaceted aesthetic and personalized iconography is a recurring motif: West African food products from her Trans-Atlantic upbringing. Using these images—and drawing upon her expertise as a graphic designer—Chidinma reinvents familiar Pop Art themes to explore issues and ideas surrounding the Black body, both historically and contemporarily. Her resulting portraits of Black men and women are iconic and evocative conversation starters.
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 The Baltimore Sun, Hype Hair Magazine, Essence.com, Buzzfeed, and Google.
