IJENNA DURUAKU, PAINTER

FLATBUSH | NATIVE NEW YORKER

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ִ༄˖°.

ART PAGE

TIKTOK

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all debut footage | 5.09.2026

Ijenna Duruaku, a Brooklyn native locally known as childish_sunspot/childish_le_sunspot, is a 28-year-old Black non-binary Nigerian Caribbean-American college graduate, artist, creative and poet. At the age of 3, they realized their purpose as an artist and has been on their artist’s pilgrimage for over two decades. Through their work they explore their mental health in relation to the dynamics of family, as well as their places in society through colorful, engaging, and detailed lenses. Using ballpoint pen, ink, acrylic, watercolor, and a myriad of multimedia materials, Ijenna tries to make sense of these impacted emotions with an explosive sense of texture and colorful flare.

description below:

Title: "GraveDigger."

Conception: July 07th, 2025

Creator: Ijenna Duruaku | childish_le_sunspot

Before I discuss and debut the painting,

"Never Let A _____ Take Your SHINE!"

I wanted to also share parts and pieces from a series of paintings/self portraits I am currently working on. I hyper focus on details because details have their own worlds and lives within the context of the artwork that really scratch my brain.

These details capture eyes. Knowing that eyes are the windows to the soul, tears are the mirrors. Sadness and crying exists in multitude and nuances and I try to convey mine as well.

"Gravedigger." Tells illustrates the mess that is rebirth and growth... the herald in and half out feeling that growing pains cause. Constantly digging your own grave, laying there waiting for when you can emerge and doing it again is the exhausting process of life. Recycling yourself over is difficult and can be taxing... all things I discuss in this piece.

Stay tuned for a more in depth analysis and artist talk that will be aired first on my TikTok account!

Thank you for your support.

-Childish_le_sunspot

description below:

Title: "Never Let A Nigga Steal Your Shine" Date of Artist creation: July 7th, 2025

Date of Artist statement: January 2nd, 2025

"I created this piece selfishly. I created it with the same mindset most people have when engaging and interacting with me... selfishly. Often feeling stolen from by men and others; energetically, physically, and spiritually after teaching myself to light my own candles. I've been making things selfishly and waking up selfishly. People often tell black femmes that our energy is something to share. The bones the flesh the eyes and hair and then going home with nothing left for ourselves not even the act of selfishness. You give and give to jealous and weird people hoping that in the act of giving they won't act that way but charity in this way is not protection just foolishness."

"Never Let a Nigga Steal Your Shine" is based on a true premise. I find that in my life, men women and people alike constantly and consistently try to humble me. They try to dull me just to take advantage of my energetic exuberance so they too can feel unique in the way I naturally am while simultaneously condemning me for it.

Not too long ago, I was made to be a man's muse for his work but never received credit in relation to this person or to be apart of his artistic creativity. He went and then used my energy to try and upgrade himself not just how he looked but the content he ingested and the femmes he surrounded himself with. I was made a man's muse and watched from the sidelines as he upgraded his life with my image and I became the improvement while meeting him became a lesson. I was made a man's muse as if he birthed me as if he was my God. I became their snack; their energetic bunch of grapes made to nourish and never receive nourishment; they take and only leave the stem. But I hold the receipts. I carry the instructions and the cost. I know my cost; it's expensive to replace and expensive to own. I know my cost and todays price is not yesterdays expense. I carry the receipts because only I can.

I regenerate like cells.

These receipts are too heavy for you to carry and I am too costly for you to own.

I'm excited to share the story behind this piece so that no one misconstrues my selfishness for charity.

Artist talk coming soon