Fillipus Sheehama

Namibian mixed media artist Fillipus Sheehama often constructs artworks using recycled and found materials which he uses to explore issues relating to social and economic inequality.

Sheehama’s work is grounded in observation. Each artwork is both a reflection of society as well as a critique of contemporary living. He is preoccupied with ideas of wholeness, thinking about the relationship between individual and collective identity. The materials he chooses to use en masse- discarded bottle tops, plastics, old school desks- are quotidian and suggest a large group of people or a community.

Despite these large communities, life remains precarious in Namibia. From his vantage point as an educator living and working in Katutura, Sheehama is constantly confronted with the fragility produced by radical economic inequality. This is reflected most intensely in the materials he chooses to work with. Recently Sheehama has started drawing formally from traditional Nama and Herero patchwork patterning that derives from the colonial era.

Sheehama graduated from the University of Namibia with a Bachelor of Art (Fine Art) Honours degree in 2010 and has taught Visual Arts at the John Muafangejo Arts Centre and currently lectures at the College of the Arts.

Sheehama has participated in many group exhibitions locally and internationally. The artist has also had several solo exhibitions in Namibia.

Solo Exhibitions 2015 Exploration of plastics as visual metaphor of poverty, National Art Gallery of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 2009 Metaphor in art, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 2007 The voice of survivor, National Art Gallery of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 2005 The fact of the mind, National Art Gallery of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 2002 On the side of the victims, Omba Gallery, Windhoek, Namibia Group Exhibitions 2017 Being Here, Start Art Gallery, Windhoek, Namibia 2015 Etosha Art Exhibition, Vänersborg Gallery, Vänersborg, Sweden 2014, 2015, 2016 Art Inside, National Art Gallery of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 2013 Land Matters in Art, National Art Gallery of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 2011, 2014, 2017 Bank Windhoek Triennial, National Art Gallery of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 2009 6 Namibian Artists, GTZ headquarters, Eschborn, Germany 2008 College Lecturers Exhibition, John Muafangejo Art Centre, Windhoek, Namibia 2007 Human Rights Exhibition, National Art Gallery of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 2006 DAK'ART Biennial of African contemporary art, Senegal 2006 /AE//GAMS Art Exhibition, National Art Gallery of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 2005 Standard Bank Biennial, National Art Gallery of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia 2004, 2005 /AE//GAMS Art Exhibition, John Muafangejo Art Centre, Windhoek, Namibia 2003 Soul of Africa, JHD Art Gallery, South Africa 2001 Contemporary Textiles, Omba Gallery, Windhoek, Namibia 2000, 2003 Tulipamwe International Artist’s Workshop Exhibitions, University of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia