Octavia Roodt is a South African artist-researcher, currently based in Brussels. She was born in Johannesburg in 1995.

She ︎ exhibits as a fine artist,
︎ creates comics,
freelances as a ︎ graphic designer and  ︎ illustrator
and is interested in poetry, arts-research & ︎ human rights.

octavia@roodt.org
+27 72 666 1862
+32 479 75 10 98
Awards
2020 RMB Talent Unlocked alumni programme.
2019 RMB Talent Unlocked mentorship programme.
2018 National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) governmental grant for small enterprises.
2017 Distinction for Honour’s dissertation.
2016 University of Pretoria’s top illustration student.


Residencies
August 2021 Left at the moon, Franschhoek , South Africa.
January – March 2021 Maison des auteurs, Angoulême, France.
March 2019 The Rare Library, Franschhoek, South Africa.


Press
2022 Artthrob, Violence and longing: Is Ons Nog ‘n Ding? at Lizamore & Associates by Fadzai Muchemwa.
2022 Klyntji, Vier Breytenbach-gedigte vir mistieke ervaring by Octavia Roodt.
2022 Klyntji, Desmond Octavia Roodt, in dié strip, treur om Desmond Tutu by Octavia Roodt.
2021 Exploring visual culture, Back Coupling: Transnational artistic cooperations by Prof Ernst Wagner.
2021 Exploring visual culture, Setting the Stage: Artistic Production Through Narrative Exchange by Stela Vula & Octavia Roodt.
2021 Neuvième 2.0, In the studio with… Octavia Roodt by Thierry Groensteen, translated by Escap3 Gallery.
2021 Neuvième art 2.0, Dans l’atelier de… Octavia Roodt par Thierry Groensteen.
2021 La Charente libre, The artist paints her thought-provoking dreams by Henry Girard, translated by Escap3 Gallery.
2021 La Charente libre, L’artiste peint ses rêves qui dèrangent par Henry Girard.
2021 Actualitté, L'autrice Octavia Roodt en résidence à la Cité de la BD d'Angoulême par Antoine Oury.
2020 Daily Maverick, Artists’ take on Bill of Rights marks 24th anniversary of the Constitution by Vanessa September.
2020 Between10&5. Designer Octavia Roodt: On Simple Line Drawings, Graphic Novels and Complex S.A Narratives by Nikki Zakkas.
2019 Assemblage, Meet the artist: Octavia Roodt on Youtube.
2019 Taalgenoot, ‘n Futuristiese Oerstryd: Verlate landskappe, kaal vrouefigure met Voortrekkerkappies en virtuele kopstukke – niks is onmoontlik in Octavia Roodt se verbeeldingswêreld nie interview by Donnay Torr.
2018 Klyntji, Octavia Roodt het 'n skildery vir Park Acoustics gemaak by Klyntji.
2018 Klyntji, Somerfaan se nuwe musiekvideo deur Octavia Roodt by Klyntji.
2018 Klyntji, Kwart-eeuliks, Kwart-taalliks, Kwart-tierliks, Kwart-luuks by the Rare Librarian.
2017 Ourfriends, Octavia Roodt is the Route of all Illustrative Talent by Amy.
2017 Klyntji, Octavia Roodt oor die self by Klyntji.
2017 Between10&5, Sofa queens, ‘masturbation guilt’ and femme power – 7 Badass womxn illustrators share feminist reflections by Nikki Zakkas.
Education
2021 Nine-week online course in De-Mystifying Mindfulness, Universiteit Leiden.
2020 Master of Fine Arts (with distinction), University of Pretoria.
2017 Baccalaureus Artium Information design, University of Pretoria.


Employment
September 2020 – January 2022 Graphic designer & illustrator at the Centre for Human Rights, Pretoria.
August 2017 – June 2022 Part time lecturer for first year, second year and Master’s students at the University of Pretoria.
November 2019 & November 2020 Moderator at the Open Window Institute, Pretoria.
2017 > Freelance illustrator and designer.


Selected exhibitions
2024 De Drukkerij: Nouveaux talents de l’atelier curated by Kurt
Morissens, Belgian Comics Centre, Brussels.
2024 Let them eat Pap, ESCAP3 Gallery, Cape Town.
2023 Grafixx Zine Fest, De Studio, Antwerpen.
2023 De kunstenaars van Aline, WG Kunst, Amsterdam.
2023 Medium: A Duo Exhibition, ESCAP3 Gallery, Turbine Art Fair,
Johannesburg.
2023 Kijkspel, curated by Franky Mischielsen and Jens Dawn, Cultuurhuis De Bijl, Zoersel.
2022 Is ons nog ‘n ding? Curated by Lawrence Lemaoana. Lizamore & Associates.
2022 Dream Press pop-up exhibition, Boschendal Manor House & Norval Art Foundation.
2022, Cape Town Art Book Fair, Norval Art Foundation.
2022 Know thyself, ESCAP3 Gallery, Cape Town.
2022 Horizons, l'exposition des auteurs en résidence, La maison des auteurs, Angoulême.
2021 #Tech4Rights expo, Centre for Human Rights, Pretoria.
2021 Honi soit qui mal y pense (Shame on anyone who thinks evil of it), ESCAP3 Gallery, Cape Town.
2021 Back Coupling: Transnational artistic cooperations, University of Munich, Munich.
2021 Thread(ed): interlacing womxn in the 21st century. Curated by Dr Adéle Adendorff & Georgina Glass, Pretoria Arts Association.
2021 Overcoming: The embrace project. NOW gallery, Pretoria.
2021 The Serapeum Way, ESCAP3 Gallery, Cape Town.
2020 Cloud-cuckoo-land. Curated By Fleur de Bondt, Candice Berman Gallery, Johannesburg.
2020 LAN[d], ESCAP3 Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa.
2020 RMB Talent Unlocked Alumni Program, Turbine Art Fair, Johannesburg.
2020 50ty/50ty Print Studio, Investec Cape Town Art Fair, Cape Town.
2019 RMB Talent Unlocked Mentorship Program, Turbine Art Fair, Johannesburg.
2019 (f)ases, Art on Avenues, Cape Town.
2018 Pictorial nerve, Tijuana artist book fair, São Paulo.
2018 The underline show, 99 Juta, Johannesburg.


© 2022 Octavia Roodt
Mag jy veilig wees,
mag jy gesond wees,
mag jy vreugdevol
& vreedsaam wees.