Fillipus Sheehama
About the artist

Fillipus Sheehama (b. 1974, Namibia) is a Namibian mixed media artist whose work engages with themes of social and economic inequality. Through the use of recycled and found materials, Sheehama creates powerful visual statements that both reflect and critique contemporary life. His artistic practice is centered around the exploration of wholeness and the relationship between individual and collective identities.
The materials he chooses to use en masse—discarded bottle caps, plastics, old school desks, and makalani —holds significant meaning, often linked to the preservation of knowledge and the quotidian realities of daily life. 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 awareness is embedded in his work, with his material choices often mirroring the fragility of life in post-colonial Namibia.
In recent years, Sheehama has incorporated traditional Nama and Herero patchwork patterns, often originating from the colonial era, into his large-scale installations and wall hangings. This new direction serves as both a homage to and critique of the enduring legacies of colonialism in Namibian visual culture.
Sheehama holds a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) Honours degree from the University of Namibia (2010). He has taught Visual Arts at the John Muafangejo Arts Centre and currently lectures at the College of the Arts and at UNAM. His work has been showcased in numerous group exhibitions both locally and internationally. His most recent group exhibition, ‘Slow Burn’, was presented by SMAC Gallery and showcased in Stellenbosch (2025). Notable solo exhibitions include ‘Recalling Makalani: Material Explorations‘ (2021) and ‘Exploration of Plastics as a Visual Metaphor of Poverty’ (2015). Sheehama was also a runner-up in the 2011 Bank Windhoek Triennale.
Collections: National Art Gallery of Namibia, Museum Würth (Germany), NARIC (Namibia), University of Namibia Collection, Development Bank of Namibia, Government of the Republic of Namibia, Arts Association Heritage Trust (Namibia), The US Embassy in Windhoek (Namibia). Private Collections: UK, USA, Namibia, South Africa, the Netherlands.