Tata Tata (Red)

Notes

The present lot is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, dated 2014 and inscribed with the artist's name, the title and medium.

Bambi’s Tata Tata (Red) is a vibrant tribute to Nelson Mandela, rendered in her signature stencil and mixed media style on metal. Depicting the beloved statesman mid-gesture with fist raised and smile wide, the work captures the enduring warmth and power of his presence. The composition is dominated by Mandela’s iconic red shirt and the repeated phrase “TATA TATA,” a nod both to his affectionate Xhosa title (“father”) and to a sense of rhythmic public memory.

Created in 2014, the year after Mandela’s passing, the piece resonates deeply with the spirit of Mandela Day, commemorated each year on 18 July. The annual observance calls on people around the world to take action and inspire change, values echoed in Bambi’s street-informed visual language and the celebratory, activist energy of this work. Tata Tata (Red) invites reflection not only on Mandela’s legacy, but on how it continues to animate everyday acts of courage, unity, and joy.

Provenance

Acquired directly from Leonard Villa, former manager and public representative of Bambi.

Private Collection.