Fine artist Omphemetse Ramatlhatse is known for her blend of abstract and representational elements in her paintings. Her work often features bold, vibrant colours and dynamic brushstrokes that convey a sense of movement and emotion.

Her practice investigates, interrogates, confronts the relationship Blackness has with Life. She explores the relationship between 'Being and Moving and occupying space and Being occupied by space' and what we leave behind and what is left behind in us. She explores the possibilities that lie in the uncomfortable conversations we have (with ourselves) when we are confronted by the realities of what remains behind. 

Omphemetse’s inspiration comes from her surroundings, and being a human being. She is particularly interested in understanding and dissecting the happenings in her surroundings which mentally impact the things that happen in her mind—healing, being human, and existing.

Her body of work is both visually striking and thought-provoking.

We recently had a chat with Omphemetse, here’s what she had to say. 

I’ve always known that I am an artist, from a young age. I thought I’d be a fashion designer because I would do a lot of sketches, show them to my friends, and they would show them to my teachers, but as I grew; I thought I would be a forensic scientist. I got that from watching a lot of Crime Investigation shows, so from that, I had to focus on being a science student, I chose physics and maths as subjects in High school. 

I was an above average student so I thought I would survive — my parents weren’t enforcing any kind of career path for me, they were quite young when they had me, so now that I’m closer to my late 20s, I can understand the mistakes, and the sacrifices they made raising me.

I went to a primary school in Mayfair West, a great school, that was the best decision my parents made for me—In that school, I got exposed to people of different races and cultures, and they became my friends—I met human beings before I was even aware of what race was. 

I got into art because of science, I figured I should do forensic art because my physics and math marks weren’t so good, in Matric I got the opportunity to be part of a school extra class program at UJ. Linda, my math tutor saw my sketches, and encouraged me to apply for art, that moment was the first time I realised that I can go study this, so then I applied for BSc at Wits and UJ, then I applied for art at Wits.

I was accepted for art but I couldn’t afford it because I hadn’t applied for NSFAS, so I took a gap year, the following year I got funding from NSFAS and I studied through NSFAS, and that’s how I then got my BA Degree and got into Fine art.

So my creative process, and I feel like most of us work like this—where we kind of gather stuff in our suitcases or archives, things like music, family, and spirituality.

My making process is in the thinking or therapeutic moment where I’m dissecting all of these things that are happening in my head because of the things happening around me, so what inspires my work is being a human being and taking note of my journey, and existence as a human being and ultimately, healing.

I think for me, there’s a big difference between criticism and rejection, with constructive criticism, I leave knowing that there’s room for growth, I leave feeling inspired to go better myself and improve, that for me is very important, it’s to build. I prefer that over rejection.

A piece of work by Mam Helen Mmakgabo Sebidi, called Modern Marriage - I loved the artwork, it’s quite big, it’s an oil painting, and what I love about it is that when I was interning at the Joburg Art Gallery, there was a cosmology exhibition, and in one of the rooms I used to get through to the office was this painting by Mam Helen, I started to feel like I had a relationship with this painting, it reminded me so much of the aesthetic that I have in my work, I did my research on her—

you know that anxiety of finding someone’s work looking very similar to yours?

I went through many art books during my research and found other works very similar to mine, but I learned that we could be saying different things, but it’s all related, that’s why that piece by Mam Helen means so much to me

To be honest, I’m still figuring that out, art has taught me, or currently teaching me finding out what contribution I am supposed to bring to the world, for now, I’m surviving on community—the art community, the art family I have built for myself.

I’m traveling to Cameroon in a week or two, I didn’t have funds for this, but the art community, and the relationships I’ve built with the community made this possible for me, I want to be stable, but right now, I think I’m fine-tuning my brand and who I want to be in the art space.

I had a conversation with my father a while back, and he said,

“To be a human being is to have obstacles…” that stuck with me.

My biggest challenge is that I am a consequence of my history and I’m suffering the ripple effects of being broke, of black tax, and bridging generational gaps.

I want to infiltrate spaces that we were told aren’t for us as black people, I want to see my work in corporate spaces, I want to be in many places as I possibly can.

I also do have a strong belief that artists can make great leaders of this country, they are the ones that should be responsible for the country, and we can be very good ministers and presidents, so in the future, I see myself, and other artists in leadership positions in our country to make tangible change.

When asked about her future projects, Omphemetse says, 

In her closing remarks, she passionately expresses that;

Overall, Omphemetse Ramatlhatse is an artist who continues to push the boundaries and explore new ideas, producing captivating and thought-provoking works. Her dynamic style is sure to continue to evolve and inspire.