Rontherin Ratliff reclaims pieces of blighted houses and found objects to create assemblages and sculptural work that examine contemporary society. His work ranges from the small and delicate - a glass and metal sandwich that lays in the palm of one’s hand - to the architectural scale of his Rosebud mobile home. Ratliff’s collaborative practice led him to co-found LEVEL Artist Collective with local artists of color living in New Orleans. The 5 artists in LEVEL will be exhibited at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art October -December 2019. This grant supports Ratliff as he completes his "Can't Call Home" series that will be exhibited at the Ogden. This body of work contemplates loss and its effects, exploring Rontherin’s concept of “home” - the mental and physical space, exploring loss over a period in time and the absence of familiar feelings derived from loved ones and the changing face of his childhood neighborhood. He will also create an exhibition catalogue that will be displayed in the museum's gift shop.

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In New Orleans, Ratliff has exhibited his work at the Historic New Orleans Collection, Joan Mitchell Center, Delgado University, Antenna, Double Shotgun Gallery, Stella Jones Gallery, Xavier University, Tulane University’s Carroll Gallery and Newcomb Gallery, Contemporary Arts Center, and Prospect.1 and Prospect. 4 satellite exhibitions. In 2007, he collaborated in the set design for Paul Chan’s Waiting for Godot that was produced by Creative Time and staged in the Lower 9th Ward and, in 2009, he was the artistic director for the set design of the Guggenheim Museum’s production of Peter and the Wolf in New York City.  Ratliff was a collaborating artist for the nationally acclaimed street art installation ExhibitBe in New Orleans. His work has been featured at 516 ARTS (Albuquerque, NM), Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Art Gallery at the College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA), Deering Estate (Miami, FL), Diverse Works (Houston, TX) and Art Route 2017 (Groningen, Netherlands). In 2014, Ratliff participated in the Joan Mitchell Foundation’s AIR program and, in 2015, he had a residency hosted by Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator (Miami, FL).

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Ratliff worked at YAYA as Studio Manager in 2008-2012 and then as the Artistic Director 2012-2015. He is a member of Level Artist Collective and Antenna Gallery.

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Rontherin Ratliff was active the YAYA guild 1995-2000.