Art Dealer Murder in Brazil
Authorities in Brazil have arrested a suspect in connection with the brutal killing of a renowned American art dealer. The victim, identified as Brent Sikkema, was found dead in his apartment in Rio de Janeiro with 18 stab wounds.
The suspect, Alejandro Triana Trevez, was apprehended by Rio state police near the city of Uberaba in the neighboring state of Minas Gerais. Reports suggest that Trevez is of Cuban nationality and was found resting at a gas station while on the run.
According to authorities, Trevez allegedly stole $3,000 from Sikkema's home. Detective Felipe Curi, who is leading the investigation, stated that the primary motive appears to be theft leading to homicide.
"Our initial findings indicate that Trevez traveled from Sao Paulo specifically to commit this crime," Curi said. "He then returned to Sao Paulo, suggesting that he may have had some kind of privileged information."
Law enforcement has obtained a 30-day prison warrant against Trevez, which will allow them to further investigate whether the two men knew each other and explore other leads in the case.
Sikkema Jenkins & Co., originally founded as Wooster Gardens in 1991, is a renowned art gallery located on 22nd Street in New York near the Chelsea Piers. The gallery showcases works by esteemed artists such as Jeffrey Gibson, Arturo Herrera, Sheila Hicks, Vik Muniz, and Kara Walker.
In a statement posted on its website, the gallery confirmed the passing of its beloved founder, Brent Sikkema. The statement expressed deep sadness and announced the gallery's commitment to continue in Sikkema's spirit.
Brent Sikkema began his career in the art world in 1971 as the director of exhibitions at the Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester, New York. In 1976, he opened his first gallery in Boston.
In 2021, during a visit to Zurich, Switzerland, Sikkema described himself as a "chaos kind of guy" on his Instagram account. He revealed his preference for destinations like Brazil and Cuba.
Longtime friend Yancey Richardson, who owns a nearby art gallery, expressed shock and praised Sikkema's unique perspective and ability to think outside the box. He emphasized that Sikkema's gallery was not simply focused on mounting painting shows.
Sikkema, in an interview with IdeaFix in 2022, shared that he still spent most of the year in New York but considered his apartment in Rio de Janeiro as an urban "oasis."
