Bertina LOPES is considered one of the most important women artists from Africa in the second half of the 20th century. Lopes was a painter, sculptor, and, most importantly, an activist whose work highlighted social criticism and nationalistic fervour. She was also a major influence on subsequent generations of African artists.

Born in Maputo, Mozambique, in 1924, she was the daughter of a Portuguese father and a Mozambican mother. At an early age, she left Mozambique to study in Lisbon, where she engaged with Portuguese Modernism. After returning to Mozambique in 1953, cultural nationalism became a crucial influence, both ideologically and artistically. Her work depicts not only African iconography but also the political events of the time. After being forced to return to Europe, Lopes was eventually driven out of Portugal by the regime and moved to Rome in 1963, where she remained for the rest of her life. During this period, the subjects of African identity took on a new meaning, expressing an end to colonialism and a desire for independence.

Bertina Lopes achieved significant cultural recognition and won numerous awards and prizes. Her artworks are included in many public collections worldwide, and she held two major exhibitions at the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisbon, in 1972 and 1993.

In 2024, her work featured in Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere at the 60th Venice Biennale, marking her third participation, and in The Power with which We Leap Together: Women Artists in Spain and Portugal between Dictatorship and Democracy, shown at IVAM Valencia and CAM Gulbenkian, Lisbon.

Her extensive inclusion in the 36th São Paulo Bienal (2025–2026), with 21 paintings, demonstrates the enduring importance and legacy of this artist.