Obed Mokhuhlani

Obed Robert Mokhuhlani (born 1980) is a Motswana multidisciplinary visual artist, printmaker, ceramicist, art educator, and curator from Botswana. He is known for his printmaking and ceramic practices. Mokhuhlani works as an arts educator in Kanye, Botswana, and is involved in curatorial work in regional projects such as the Francistown Arts Meeting.

Career Mokhuhlani's practice spans printmaking, ceramics, and mixed media; he has exhibited in Botswana and internationally. He has combined studio practice with art education and curatorial work, working as an art teacher in Kanye and founding Empire Arts Consultancy to support arts programming and professional development.

Curatorial activity Mokhuhlani's curatorial activities began around 2016 when he organized an art educators’ exhibition at the Thapong Visual Art Centre in collaboration with Vaal University of Technology and the Botswana Consulate in South Africa. Since 2019 he has been contracted as resident curator for the Francistown Arts Meeting (FAM) annual visual arts exhibition. Thapong Artist of the Year Award (TAYA) 2017

Teaching and advocacy As an art educator, Mokhuhlani has lectured and led workshops focusing on art pedagogy and professional development for artists and educators. He is also the founding chairperson of the Visual Art Forum for Educators in Southern Africa (VAFESA), an initiative to coordinate and support art teachers in the region.

Reception and impact Writers and cultural commentators have highlighted Mokhuhlani's dual role as practitioner and educator and his efforts to professionalize art practice in Botswana. He has been quoted advocating for treating art as a professional enterprise rather than a hobby.