Radcliffe Bailey was trained as a sculptor but he does not identify with one specific label as he refers to himself plainly as: an artist, taking on the tasks of the painter, the sculptor, and the political activist. So he works within the convergence of painting and sculpture, utilising found materials, such as vintage photographs of his family, vinyl records, piano keys, Georgia red clay, and bottle-caps. Thematically, his art explores the intersection of ancestry, race and cultural memory. In his words: "My art is about history and the mystery of history. Scientists, preachers, tricksters, they are my muses."

In 2003, he adopted a style of art conceptually inspired by Kongo minkisi, which he described as being "medicine cabinet sculptures". As a result, his work has been described as being three-dimensional and layered, incorporating elements of smell and sound. Bailey described his creative process and fascination with the connection between past and present, stating: "The day by day experience of art, even though my work may seem to have this layer of history, it is also a cover for what I'm dealing with on a day to day. It's very much about today. We were talking about where I go next: I'm still thinking about today and yesterday and what's coming in front of me tomorrow."