About
Hebru Brantley is an American contemporary artist known for his distinctive, narrative-driven work that revolves around his conceptualized characters. Drawing from art historical references such as Robert Colescott, Andy Warhol, Kerry James Marshall and Jean-Michel Basquiat, the work of Brantley reassesses contemporary culture and mythology through a unique lens. He utilizes his characters in a narrative output to address complex ideas around nostalgia, fear, safety, power, and hope. The color palettes, motifs and characters themselves juxtapose this intricacy, creating an air of innocence and accessibility around his layered and multifaceted ideas.
Brantley’s work is often seen challenging the traditional view of the hero or protagonist. The contexts and expressions of his youthful cast of characters – which are sometimes in autobiographical form – summon the audience to reimagine childhood and the American cultural experience in Brantley’s coined context of ‘dark fiction’. His work is frequently depicted exploring this macrocosm, where dark represents an identity, continent, and mindset. In his Negro Mythos series, Brantley remagines the super heroes of American pop culture as people of color – as a quest to readdress modern mythology through his lens. Flyboy, his most known character inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen, was also born from this concept.
Some of his most notable collectors include LeBron James, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Lenny Kravitz, George Lucas, and Rahm Emanuel, among others. Brantley has also collaborated with brands such as Nike, Hublot, Lego, and Adidas.
Brantley’s work as a storyteller frequently extends beyond the colorful dimensions of the canvas. In October 2019, Brantley opened an experiential fine art installation fueled by the narrative of his characters FLYBOY and LIL MAMA. The 6,000-square-foot installation in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood hosted over 23,000 ticketed guests and offered them limited-edition merchandise. Brantley currently resides in Los Angeles where he is expanding into content creation including the adaptation of the FLYBOY Universe through his media company, Angry Hero.
Brantley earned a B.A. in Film from Clark Atlanta University and has a background in Design and Media Illustration.
He is currently represented by Nanzuka Underground in Tokyo, Japan.
Exhibitions
2023 Traveling without Moving | Nanzuka Underground | Tokyo, Japan
2023 Still | Megumi Ogita Gallery | Tokyo, Japan
2022 Bound | Goldman Global Arts Gallery, Wynwood Walls | Miami, FL
2022 Dark Fiction: Flowers & Frogs | Richard Beavers Gallery | New York, NY
2021 Saints & Shepherds | Fort Wayne Museum of Art | Fort Wayne, IN
2021 Mythos Opus Three | 3110NZ by LDH Kitchen | Tokyo, Japan
2021 Mythos Opus Two | 2G Nanzuka Gallery | Tokyo, Japan
2021 Mythos Opus One | Megumi Ogita Gallery | Tokyo, Japan
2021 Solus | Phillips Auction House | Hong Kong
2020 Editions I Vertical Gallery I Chicago, IL
2020 Editions I Vertical Gallery I Chicago, IL
2019 NEVERMORE PARK I Pilsen I Chicago, IL
2019 No ID I Rotofugi Resigner Toy Store and Gallery I Chicago, IL
2019 Stance I Casterline Goodman Gallery I Aspen, CO
2019 The Great Debate I Gallery Des Baines I Tokyo, Japan
2018 Then There Were Two I Gallery Des Baines I Geneva, Switzerland
2018 Lord Of The Flys I Avenue Des Arts HK I Hong Kong, China
2017 Eat Crap King I Vertical Gallery I Chicago, IL
2016 Theories Of The Lowend I Solo Exhibition I Miami Art Basel
2016 I Wish I Knew (What It Felt Like To Be Free) | August Wilson Center | Pittsburgh, PA
2015 Memoirs Of The Minimum Wage | Vertical Gallery | Chicago, IL
2014 And All I Got Was Sunshine | Frank Pages Galerie | Geneva, Switzerland
2014 Parade Day Rain | Chicago Cultural Center | Chicago, IL.
2014 Everyone’s Everything | Mead Carney Gallery | London, EN
2013 What The Traveler Saw | White Walls Gallery | San Francisco, CA
2013 Downtown 88 | Ultra Gallery | Chicago, IL
2013 Hebru Brantley | Toys For Boys Miami | Miami, FL
2013 Penny Candy | Loews Atlanta Hotel | Atlanta, GA
2012 Brothers Of The Robbing Hood | Ultra Gallery | Chicago, IL
2012 Trapped In What I Made Believe | Kasia Kay Art Projects | Chicago, IL
2012 artMRKT San Francisco | Tim Yarger Fine Art | Los Angeles, CA
2011 Yesterday’s Losers | Ultra Gallery | Chicago, IL
2011 Afro-Futurism: Impossible View | Zhou B. Gallery | Chicago, IL
2010 Common Ground | Elephant Room Gallery | Chicago, IL
2010 Wait A Cotton Pick’n Minute | Lyons Wier Gallery | New York, NY
2010 Six Degrees From Center | C33 Gallery | Chicago, IL
2010 SELF | 33 Collective | Chicago, IL
2010 Whup Yo Kids | Silver Room Gallery | Chicago, IL
2010 Lions Disguised as Lambs | Punctuation Gallery | Seattle, WA
2009 Fade Resistant | Three Peas Art Lounge | Chicago, IL
2009 Zhou B. Gallery/ 33 Collective | Chicago, IL
2008 A Place To Lay My Head | Artistic Genius | Chicago, IL
2007 Next Black Masters | Hennessy Collection | New York, NY
2007 Scion Group Show | Heaven Gallery | Chicago, IL
2007 Pod Majersky Collection | Chicago IL
2007 Nevermore | Leaders1354 | Chicago, IL
Collaborations
Adidas
BAPE
Barilla
Billionaire Boys Club
Bleacher Report
Bombay Sapphire
Cadillac
Champion
Chance The Rapper
Chicago Bulls
Chicago Children's Choir
Chicago Children’s Museum
Chicago Cubs
Chicago Marathon
Chicago Transit Authority
EA Sports
Garrets
Hennessy
Hublot
Jordan Brand
Lacoste
Lego
Mariano's
Medicom
Mindstyle
Mitchell & Ness
Nascar
Netflix
Nickelodeon
NBA
Nike
Redbull
RSVP Gallery
Spring Hill
Wilson Basketball