A man was arrested Thursday in Brazil in connection with the murder of Brent Sikkema, a New York art dealer who was found with stab wounds in his Rio de Janeiro apartment this week.
The man was arrested at a gas station between the cities of Uberaba and Uberlandia, about 600 miles northwest of Rio de Janeiro, according to Rio police, who said he was suspected of a robbery that ended in death.
They said the man had traveled from Sao Paulo to Rio before Sikkema’s death and was identified with the help of security camera footage. That footage showed him exiting a car parked outside the dealer’s house in the early hours of Sunday morning. A police statement did not identify him or whether he knew the drug dealer, but The Associated Press reports that authorities said was a Cuban named Alejandro Triana Trevez.
The dealer’s namesake gallery, Sikkema Jenkins & Co., focuses on contemporary art and moved from the SoHo neighborhood to the Chelsea arts district in 1999.
Sikkema, 75, has represented artists including Kara Walker, Vik Muniz, Sheila Hicks, Louis Fratino and Jennifer Packer. One of the gallery’s top artists, Jeffrey Gibson, is preparing to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale in April.
Alexander Gray, a New York gallerist, said this week that Sikkema has cultivated a generation of artists exploring identity, representation and experimental forms.
Scott Briscoe, spokesman for Sikkema Jenkins & Co., said he will soon announce a memorial to celebrate Sikkema’s life and accomplishments.
“The outpouring of love and appreciation for Brent has been overwhelming and a tremendous source of comfort to all of us at the gallery,” Briscoe said. “We thank everyone for their support and care during this difficult time.”
Ana Ionova contributed to the reporting.