Mila Posthumus

Living and working in Stellenbosch, Mila Posthumus is a contemporary South African artist whose paintings explore themes of identity, family, memory and human connection through a distinctive figurative style.

Working primarily in oil on canvas, Posthumus creates paintings that draw inspiration from everyday life and the relationships that shape us. Her subjects are often familiar and deeply personal, yet the emotions they convey are universal. Through subtle gestures, expressions and interactions, she invites viewers to reflect on their own experiences, memories and sense of belonging. Rather than striving for photographic realism, Posthumus embraces the expressive qualities of paint. Areas of careful observation sit alongside looser passages of brushwork, creating a balance between representation and interpretation. This approach allows her paintings to retain a sense of immediacy while leaving space for individual responses and personal reflection. Family life, childhood, resilience and the complexities of human relationships are recurring themes throughout her work. Whether depicting a solitary figure, a family group or a moment of quiet contemplation, Posthumus has a remarkable ability to find significance in the ordinary, transforming everyday experiences into compelling visual narratives.

Today, her paintings are held in private collections throughout South Africa and internationally. Collectors are drawn to the emotional honesty of her work and her ability to create paintings that feel both intimate and enduring, revealing new layers of meaning with time.

2019
Solo exhibition POOLSIDE at StateoftheART, Cape Town

2016
Solo exhibition PORTRAIT at StateoftheART, Cape Town

2014
Solo exhibition Tell Me A Story at StateoftheART, Cape Town

2012
Exhibition at Oude Libertas Gallery
Stellenbosch Art Association exhibition at Sasol Gallery

2011
Stellenbosch Art Association exhibition

2010
Exhibition at IS Gallery, Franschoek
Exhibition at University of Stellenbosch Gallery, sponsored by SASOL
Solo Exhibition at Grande Provence Gallery, Franschoek

2009
'Angel' exhibitions at Grande Provence Gallery, Franschoek, 2006 to 2009

2007
Solo exhibition, Dorp Street Gallery

2003
Joint exhibition Morgenhof Estate

2002
Solo Exhibition at Bloom Gallery, Stellenbosch

What music are you currently listening to and why?
The radio, mostly.  I love radio as a medium, especially student run stations as they have almost no advertising, the DJs are often fresh and unpretentious and the music new and interesting.

Which living artists do you most admire and why?
There are many,( I admire almost all artists for their commitment) but I do have favourites. John Meyer,  Albert Redelinghuys and H. Craig Hannah because they paint and draw so beautifully.

Which deceased artist do you most admire and why?
Johannes Vermeer, Carel Fabritius, Edouard Manet, Andrew Wyeth, Norman Rockwell, again for the beauty of their technique.

Which exhibition that you have visited made the greatest impact on you and why?
I very much enjoyed an exhibition by Wim Botha in the  National Gallery. It was mostly sculpture and he managed to turn accepted views on their head in such a clever way and with so much grace and skill without allowing the work to depend on its ironic meaning.

What is the question you get asked most frequently about your work and how do you answer it?
’What is your favourite subject matter?’ It’s difficult to answer because it changes all the time. At the moment I am intrigued by social interaction and the effects of social interaction between people.

What/ who inspired you to be an artist ?
I think perhaps my mother, who admired ever single doodle I ever made and thought I was an artist long before I actually was one.

Can you tell us about where you make your art and what if any, the significance this location has.
I have a studio in my house on the farm and one in town so that I can spend more time painting and less on the road!

What do you like most about being an artist?
The act of putting paint onto canvas, of creating something.

What is your greatest achievement as an artist to date?
I think it has to be that I am still inspired to paint, after so many hours spent doing it. There is always something waiting to be painted.