Hebru Brantley creates narrative driven work revolving around his conceptualized iconic characters. Brantley utilizes these iconic characters to address complex ideas around nostalgia, the mental psyche, power and hope. The color palettes, pop-art motifs and characters themselves create accessibility around Brantley’s layered and multifaceted ideas. Majorly influenced by the South Side of Chicago’s Afro Cobra movement in the 1960s and 70s, Brantley uses the lineage of mural and graffiti work as a frame to explore his inquiries. Brantley applies a plethora of mediums from oil, acrylic, watercolor and spray paint to non-traditional mediums such as coffee and tea. Brantley’s work challenges the traditional view of the hero or protagonist. His work insists on a contemporary and distinct narrative that shapes and impacts the viewer’s gaze. Recognized nationally for public works and solo shows in Chicago, Hebru Brantley has exhibited in London, San Francisco, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle, Los Angeles and New York including Art Basel Switzerland, Art Basel Miami, Scope NYC and Frieze London. Brantley has been recognized in publications including the Chicago Tribune, Complex Magazine and NY Post. His work has been collected by Chicago’s Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, The Pritzker Family and power couple Jay-Z and Beyonce. Brantley has collaborated with brands like Nike, Hublot and Adidas.
EXAMPLES OF WORK
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Flynamic Duo (Purple), 2017 by Hebru Brantley
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BATGIRL (GREEN), 2018 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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Fryboy (Blue) by Hebru Brantley
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Don’t Make Me Repeat Myself by Hebru Brantley
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Flyboy Rug by Hebru Brantley
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The First Appearance by Hebru Brantley
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Silvestri by Hebru Brantley
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Feral The Ghost Boy by Hebru Brantley
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The Boys Part 3 Hebru Brantley
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FLYBOY OOPS (MELLOW YELLOW), 2018 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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HEBRU BRANTLEY x MINDSTYLE FLYBOY (VOLT)
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BEYOND THE BEYOND (SEPIA), 2017-18 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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BEYOND THE BEYOND (VOLT), 2017-18 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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BEYOND THE BEYOND (BLACK/GOLD), 2017-18 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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BEYOND THE BEYOND (BLACK), 2017-18 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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BEYOND THE BEYOND (2017-2018) BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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NO NEED FOR ALARM (HULK), 2018 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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BEYOND KIRBY (FLY BOY), 2018 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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PHIBBY (BLUE)
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SMILE (GREEN), 2019 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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PHIBBY (PINK), 2018
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SMILE (BLUE), 2019 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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BOY ON ROCKET (2018) BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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NO MORE PUBLIC BATTLES, 2017 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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WONDER (REGULAR EDITION), 2017 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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BATGIRL (BLUE), 2018 BY HEBRU BRANTLEY
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Flynamic Duo (Plasma), 2017 by Hebru Brantley
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Darker than the Color of My True Love’s Hair (Dark But Not Black), 2018 by Hebru Brantley
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The Boys