Bio

BK Durham (b. 1974) is a social worker and self-taught mixed media collage artist based in Decatur, Georgia. She paints intuitively then combines personal photographs, found images and torn papers, creating intimate and evocative work. Her process often culminates in textured surreal portraits and unique creature-like figures that exist in a space outside of boundaries and definitions. These forms emerge from her subconscious presenting themselves to be considered. As a queer person born in the Mississippi Delta and raised between there and the Florida panhandle, she draws from her experiences of this time and region exploring identity, desire, memory, and most recently her own family history.

In 2013 BK began creating visual art as a form of private self-expression. The energetic release through the movement and manipulation of materials fostered agency during a time of personal awakening and transition. In 2023, Othús Perfumery invited her to collaborate on the packaging for its new line, Ode to the South, prompting her to begin showing her art publicly. BK has since exhibited her work locally and regionally; most recently at The Pollinator Art Space in Atlanta,GA, Thornback Gallery in Greenville S.C, and the University of New Orleans St. Claude Gallery.

BK’s art and emerging practice continue to evolve. Currently she is incorporating collage elements from her personal family archive, manipulating images and ephemera as a way to further connect with her history and complex generational experiences.

The Gulf Dark, Self Portrait 2014

Detail of one of BK’s first collage paintings. She began making art late at night at her kitchen table while her young family slept. This was a sacred time and space.