Brent Sikkema, a renowned New York art dealer and gallery owner, was found dead at 75 years old due to an apparent stabbing in his Rio de Janeiro apartment, as reported by local police on Tuesday. Sikkema Jenkins & Co., his gallery, confirmed his passing in a social media statement.
“It is with great sadness that the gallery announces the passing of our beloved founder, Brent Sikkema,” wrote gallery co-partners Meg Malloy and Michael Jenkins, without elaborating on the circumstances of his death. The gallery expressed grief over this significant loss and vowed to continue in his spirit.
The Homicide Department of Rio de Janeiro is investigating the incident. According to a police spokesperson, forensics were conducted at the scene, and authorities are gathering more information and witness accounts to clarify the situation. O Globo, a local newspaper, reported that Sikkema’s body, bearing stab wounds, was discovered by his lawyer and friend Simone Nunes in his Jardim Botancio apartment.
Nunes checked on Sikkema after losing contact since Saturday and found him deceased on a bed. Born in Morrison, Illinois, Sikkema’s art career began in Rochester, New York, in 1971, after studying at the San Francisco Art Institute. He moved to New York City in 1991, establishing the Wooster Gardens gallery in Soho, which later relocated to Chelsea and became Sikkema Jenkins & Co.
Sikkema’s legacy is carried on by his husband and 12-year-old son.
