Vale Baaba Heru

It is with a heavy heart that I write of the passing of Baaba Heru, True Of Voice, Kemetic elder and priest, who I met when I visited New York City a decade ago.

The master craftsman passed on 18th September, 2025. I do not know his age, and as he declined to reveal it in this article on him in the NY Times from 2012 I do not wish to hazard a guess here.

I met him on a pilgrimage to the US investigating how the Ancient Egyptian gods manifested in our world today specifically in that country, a project that resulted in what I must say are some of the best paintings I have ever made. These works made up my first ever painting series, The Netjeru in America.

I visited Baaba Heru's studio in Brooklyn, the Studio Of Ptah. I had already purchased a spectacular winged disk ring, and wanted to meet the master craftsman who had created it.

My first Studio Of Ptah piece, the winged disk, sterling silver and ruby inset

Indeed, Baaba Heru was blessed by Ptah Himself - his pieces are exquisite, and I own more than one set of rings. As mentioned in the previous blog post, he crafted a small sha statue for me also. It is made of silver with ruby eyes and is something I adore.

Baaba Heru crafted this divine sha statue for me in 2020 or 2021

I do not wish to intimate that we were friends or in constant contact. We were not. I was a customer, but he never treated me as though I was simply a financial transaction. We discussed my paintings which he was complimentary of, about silver being the metal of magickians, and my being beloved of the netjer Set. We had a few discussions about that god. Not everyone always got Set's iconography. He did though.

My favourite Set ring, sterling silver with ruby eyes, by Baaba Heru

I felt so happy to learn that one of his spectacular ankhs was featured in The Met exhibition earlier this year, Flight Into Egypt: Black Artists and Ancient Egypt 1876 - now. This would have been a brilliant show and I am sorry I did not get to see it.

I am also sorry that I did not create a portrait of the man when he was alive.

Baaba Heru gifted me this piece on my visit to Studio Of Ptah 10 years ago; I cherish it. It is Heru Ur.

There are at least 10 pieces he has created that I do not own, and given the way things have turned out for me will likely not be able to afford.

I send my condolences to Queen Afua, and all of Baaba Heru's family, Heru Junior especially, who I met when I came to the studio that day. May Ausar welcome him to the Duat, and may he blessed with millions of years.

I hope that he is honoured one day with an exhibition of his jewellery and sacred implements - they are after all works of great art.