
Chika Idu Rhapsody 2024 Acrylic on textured Canvas 84 x 60 in (213.4 x 152.4 cm)
Curator's note
Rhapsody represents Chika Idu working at his most expansive scale within this collection. At 84 x 60 inches, the textured acrylic surface operates almost as a relief, the paint built up in layers that create depth and shadow independent of any representational function. Idu's compositional approach here is structured around the interaction of figure, landscape, and abstracted gesture, each element contributing to a surface of considerable visual richness. The title invokes the musical form of the rhapsody, a composition of irregular form and emotional intensity, and this structural analogy is apt: the painting moves through zones of relative calm and passages of concentrated activity without resolving into a single dominant register. Created in 2024, this is a work that reflects Idu's growing confidence in managing complex, large-scale compositions. It was acquired through private sale in June 2025.