Artist Ekene Duruaku ’18 creates work that explores belonging, Black identity, and the layered complexity of the self. His paintings examine the tension between individuality and the forces that shape it, what he describes as “windows to the singularities of becoming.” Grounded in Browning’s values, his work is guided by curiosity, honesty, and a strong sense of purpose.

Ekene traces the foundation of his artistic practice back to his time at Browning, where his teachers helped shape not just his skills, but his way of thinking. A pivotal moment came when one his art teachers, Zachary Davis, challenged him to step outside his comfort zone.

“He told me not to draw or paint, which was really all I knew, and pushed me toward ceramics,” Ekene says. “It taught me that creativity doesn’t always just flow. Sometimes it’s a struggle. There’s a process to it.”

At Browning, Ekene found the freedom to grow as an artist. “I never felt the need to measure myself against others,” he said. “I developed an internal pride, not from validation, but from the freedom to question, experiment, fail, and try again.” That mindset continues to guide his work today.

Ekene recently returned to Browning to speak at the Black Student Union’s Night of the Arts, a full-circle moment. “It was inspiring to see students thinking so critically about their place in the world,” he says. His advice to young artists: “Keep a journal. Become a caretaker of your story and an anthropologist of your own life. Understand yourself. From there, acceptance isn’t far behind.”

Some of Ekene’s favorite memories at Browning are the informal ones: lingering after class, knocking on teachers’ doors, and sparking wide-ranging conversations about race, politics, and culture. “That personal connection made Browning more than just a school,” he says. “It made it a community.”

Ekene Duruaku ’18 speaks about his work at Browning’s BSU Night of the Arts in February 2026.

Ekene Duruaku ’18 on Art and Finding Your Voice