Artist Database

Bertina Lopes was a Mozambican-Italian painter and sculptor born in Lourenço Marques (now Maputo), Mozambique. She studied art both locally and in Lisbon, where she was influenced by Portuguese Modernism and international artistic movements. An artist and activist, Lopes's artwork foregrounded themes of cultural nationalism, African iconography, and the political upheavals of her time, expressing both the decline of colonial rule and the aspiration for independence. After returning to Mozambique in 1953 and later relocating to Rome in 1963, Lopes’ artistic practice evolved towards gestural abstraction, characterised by vibrant colours and the frequent incorporation of found materials.

Bertina Lopes’ artworks have been exhibited at major institutions, including the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Museum in Lisbon (1972) and the National Museum of Art in Maputo (1982, 2012). Throughout her career, she received numerous awards and played a significant role in facilitating the 1992 Mozambican Peace Accords. Lopes’ works are held in important collections, including those of the National Museum of Art of Mozambique and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. Bertina Lopes passed away in Rome, Italy, in 2012.