Rashaun Rucker (b. 1978, Winston-Salem, NC) is an accomplished artist and alumnus of North Carolina Central University and Marygrove College. He earned a Master of Fine Arts in Print Media from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Rucker creates a diverse range of works, including photographs, prints, objects, and drawings, and has been honored with over 40 national and state awards for his artistic endeavors. In 2008, he made history as the first African American to be named Michigan Press Photographer of the Year. That same year, he also received a national Emmy Award for his documentary photography focusing on the pit bull culture in Detroit.
In 2009, Rucker participated as a Maynard Fellow at Harvard, followed by a role as a Hearst visiting professional in the journalism department at UNC-Chapel Hill in 2013. He was granted an artist residency at the Red Bull House of Art in 2014 and was recognized as a Modern Man by Black Enterprise magazine in 2016. The following year, he contributed the original artwork for the Detroit Free Press documentary "12th and Clairmount," which received critical acclaim.
Rucker's work has been showcased in HBO’s celebrated series “Random Acts of Flyness” and the film “Native Son." In 2019, he became the inaugural recipient of the Red Bull Arts Detroit micro-grant and was named a Kresge Arts Fellow for his drawing practice. In 2020, he was honored as a Sustainable Arts Foundation awardee. In 2021, Rucker received a prestigious residency with the International Studio and Curatorial Program (ISCP) and a Mellon residency at the University of Michigan Institute of Humanities. Rucker was awarded a visual artist grant by the Harpo Foundation in 2021. Most recently, in 2022, he was selected as the Elevating Diverse Voices Resident at Good Hart Art Residency. in 2025 rucker was awarded the Alain Locke Recognition Award by the Detroit Institute of arts.
Rucker’s extensive body of work is represented in numerous public and private collections, including the Smithsonian and the Detroit Institute of Arts, reflecting his significant impact on the art community.
EMAIL: RUCKERPHOTO@GMAIL.COM
IG: @RUCKERARTS