Tata Bernardo

Angola

Painting and Performance Art by Tata Bernardo

Contemporary Angolan Art and Afro-Diasporic Identity

Fine Art Collectors and African Mixed Media Artists

"Tata Bernardo is a figurative artist whose work is rooted in a deep exploration of the soul. Through his paintings, he reflects on the human need to care for the inner self — to reorganize, remember, and reconnect. Blending oil and acrylic on canvas, his practice unites ancestral memory with personal experience, drawing from the everyday life of Luanda and the emotional landscape of those who inhabit it.

His compositions are layered with cultural resonance, merging African and international references into powerful portraits of identity, vulnerability, and presence. For Tata, painting is both a calling and a form of healing — a way to translate the intangible into something we can see, feel, and carry with us.
"

MEET

Tata Bernardo

Israel Massala Bernardo, known artistically as Tata Bernardo, is a contemporary Angolan artist whose work navigates themes of cultural identity, diaspora, and spiritual memory. Born in Luanda on January 29, 1992, and raised in Saurimo, his artistic journey began amid the rhythms and traditions of eastern Angola—an environment that deeply shaped his visual sensitivity.

Now based in São Paulo, Brazil, Tata develops a hybrid visual language that bridges his Angolan roots with global influences. His practice includes painting, performance, and mixed media, often incorporating symbolic references to African cosmology, ancestral memory, and Afro-Brazilian spiritual practices. Through rich textures and layered meanings, Tata Bernardo explores the complexities of belonging, displacement, and continuity.

His transnational experience—living between Angola and Brazil—offers a unique lens through which he engages contemporary issues of identity, resistance, and transformation. Tata's work resonates with the growing movement of African and Afro-diasporic artists redefining global art narratives from the South.

As he continues to exhibit across Lusophone and Latin American contexts, Tata Bernardo emerges as a vital voice in the Afro-Atlantic art discourse, challenging perceptions and building bridges between traditions, territories, and generations.

FROM OUR BLOGUE
Redefining Legacy: Jorge M. &  Darlene Pérez Donate 36 Works by African and Diaspora Artists to Tate

Collectors and philanthropists Jorge M. Pérez and Darlene Pérez have donated 36 artworks by African and African diaspora artists to the Tate. The major gift underscores institutions’ increasing commitment to diversifying their collections and elevating underrepresented voices.Collectors and philanthropists Jorge M. Pérez and Darlene Pérez have donated 36 artworks by African and African diaspora artists to the Tate. The major gift underscores institutions’ increasing commitment to diversifying their collections and elevating underrepresented voices.

Continue Reading
Global Media: The World is Watching Afrikanizm

Afrikanizm Art, the Luso‑Angolan platform for contemporary African and Afro‑diasporic art, has formalised partnerships with galleries in the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia. These alliances will integrate gallery networks with Afrikanizm’s digital platform, amplify artists’ reach, and support collaborative exhibitions. It's a bold step in positioning Black art not on the margins, but at the centre of the global art market.


Continue Reading
Abidjan’s New Wave: Young Artists Shaping Ivory Coast’s Creative Future

Abidjan is experiencing a vibrant artistic renaissance, fuelled by new galleries, residencies and state funding. A “new wave” of artists — from Carl-Edouard Keïta’s revival of Goumbé traditions to Mimi Brignon’s urban collages, Adjoba Marie’s surrealist self-portraits, Massa-Chula’s powerful mask reinterpretations, and Angelo N’Guessan’s street murals — is reshaping Ivory Coast’s cultural identity. Together, they place Abidjan at the forefront of Contemporary African Art and the global conversation on Black Art.

Continue Reading
Rethinking a Colonial Legacy: Dr El Hadji Malick Ndiaye’s Mission to Decolonise Dakar’s Museum

At the heart of Dakar, a quiet but radical transformation is underway. Dr El Hadji Malick Ndiaye, curator of the Théodore Monod Museum of African Art, is leading a profound effort to decolonise an institution built for colonisers. Through critical reinterpretation, artistic collaboration, and cultural activism, he is reframing the museum not as a place of frozen pasts, but as a living, breathing space of African knowledge, pride, and imagination.

Continue Reading

Commision An Artwork
By This Artist

We can arrange and oversee the creation of a new work made specifically for you