Ratliff's artistic career began in 1993 with YAYA (Young Aspirations/Young Artists) in New Orleans, and he has since exhibited over 100 works in more than 25 galleries worldwide. Notable early milestones include a 2009 commission from Works and Process at the Guggenheim Museum for the set design of Peter and the Wolf, and a 2012 site-specific installation for the Norman Mayer Library in New Orleans. Ratliff has also contributed to the nationally recognized street art installation ExhibitBe in New Orleans.
His work has been shown at prominent institutions such as the Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans, 516 ARTS in Albuquerque, and Governor's Island in New York. In 2014, he was selected for the Joan Mitchell Foundation Artist in Residence Program. Internationally, Ratliff exhibited in Art Route 2017 in the Netherlands and created an outdoor installation responding to the 1717 Christmas flood.
Ratliff's commitment to community is reflected in his co-founding of Level Artist Collective in New Orleans, a group of artists of color dedicated to amplifying underrepresented voices. He was also awarded artist residencies with the Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator (2015) in Miami, FL, and Elsewhere (2017) in Greensboro, NC.
Based in New Orleans, Ratliff continues to explore themes of cultural memory, history, and identity. Currently, he is working to create a live/work space born from a deep understanding that for an artist to thrive, they must have a foundation, a space where they can freely explore their craft without the distractions or constraints of an external world that often undervalues creativity.
It is the artwork that allows him to find peace of mind, joy of heart, and the courage to continue fully embracing his artistic journey.
