*“Untitled” by Ron Ramftel (a.k.a. “Ramphtle”, “Ramtfel”, “Ramphtel”) c. 1986–87, acrylic on canvas, signed lower right, unframed, 54" x 86".*

Preserved in a private collection for decades, an elusive artist from the 1980s outsider art scene of Washington, D.C. is reemerging for the first time with new relevance, as today’s discerning collectors turn their attention to artists working outside of the fine art establishment.

Resurfacing from an important private collection, this painting references expressionism although knowingly or unknowingly rebels against it, and is appearing on the secondary market for the first time since its original acquisition during our upcoming June auction.

This newly rediscovered painting by the enigmatic artist known as Ramphtel, is a prime example of work that captures the raw visual energy of the 1980s outsider art movement.

Here’s why collectors are paying attention—The monumental acrylic on canvas captures a moment in time and the expressionistic energy of the 80s. The work is nonconforming and rebels against abstract expressionism—and the academic—and instead embodies the intensity and anonymity that defined Ramftel’s brief but compelling career.

Ramftel, who worked under several aliases including “Ramphtle” and “Ramphtel,” was active in the D.C. area during the 1980s and during a time when the city was energized with rebellion and reinvention. This work intertwined with the electric undercurrents, with the emergence of punk, the rise of hardcore, and the underground music scene that defined a generation.

Operating on the cultural fringes, Ramftel was involved with DC’s vibrant club scene and the alternative venues that were happening during the height of the city’s alternative music culture, and the experimental sounds that achieved international recognition.

Channeling the same provocative urgency of the sound into his art, Ramftel was entangled with the counterculture movement and the alternative voices that gave the city its unmistakable edge.

A highly elusive artist, Ramftel was known to be operating outside of the academic art establishment circles, and instead his work garnered underground acclaim, culminating in several solo exhibitions across the Washington, D.C. area during the late 1980s.

Now on offer for the first time from a distinguished private collection, the painting was first exhibited during a solo show c. 1986–87 and was acquired directly from the artist, and has remained for 38 years in the same collection ever since.

With the resurgence of interest in outsider art and the reemergence of the collectability of artists taking painting beyond the galleries and outside of the establishment, this work represents a rare opportunity for a new discovery of an obscure artist from the 1980s.

The private collection will be available to preview online at https://live.thomastonauction.com with a full selection on view at Thomaston Place Auction Galleries ahead of the sale in June.

In the meantime, stay tuned for announcements regarding the event ahead of the auction. With a once-in-a-generation event and the unveiling of a music archive from the collection of Herb Belkin, this is a cross-over auction that both music lovers and art collectors will not want to miss.

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