Meet Uriel Bernard

We had the good fortune of connecting with Uriel Bernard and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Uriel, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I see risk as a possibility for life-changing evolution in art and life. Taking risks is what has brought me to where I am currently as an artist and creative. The biggest risk in the past couple years for me was leaving my starting position at a division one school in South Carolina. I left high-level competitive sports with much promise, for my desire of creative career paths. This was the greatest and most fruitful risk I have taken in recent years. This propelled me into becoming an artist and clothing, designer, exhibiting in Cuba and creating collections for major companies. I think back sometimes and am in awe of how it played out. I’m grateful for taking that risk. It honestly felt like it could be no other way.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a visual artist, painter. In my first series of 22 paintings entitled Visionaries as Orichas, I imagine, contemporary black musicians as Orichas which are Yoruba deity. I am juxtaposing imagery of Afro Cuban symbols with imagery of modern black musical culture. With this, I am bridging my black American urban culture with my rich Afro Cuban Yoruba culture. This is totally important, especially providing knowledge of history and culture that many Black people in America do not know of. After my first year playing Division I soccer, I felt unfulfilled and told my mother I wanted to start painting. I don’t know why I said that, but I just did, and Blossoms from there. I took off from there. it wasn’t easy, I put in at least 6 to 8 hours a day for these past two years. I’m grateful to see my growth and have learned that the more work you put in with great spirit, the more beautiful and loving the art is. I am so grateful for this journey. I want the world to know about the importance of bringing together urban black culture with Rich African roots. I am providing this to the black community, as a Afro Caribbean, which has been stripped of its original African/ Afro Carribean culture in many ways.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Whenever my friends from out the city visit the first place, I take them to is in and out, followed by amazing scenic city views in Mulholland Hills. I will be gatekeeping these certain views that me and my friends go to ha ha. I then would make sure to hit up all the amazing contemporary art, museums, like lacma, moca, the broad, etc. on a wild day, we would probably go hit Six Flags and then go for some street tacos on La Brea. Would definitely have to hit some night, jazz clubs and take them to get the best Ramen in little Tokyo. Lastly, would have to hit up all the 2nd st and wastelands in the city for thrifting.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
my mother, Lili Bernard, and her artistic nonprofit organization, Art Roots Mambí, which aids artists in the Caribbean, specifically Cuba. My mother is a very famous artist and activist. She earned her MFA at Otis College of the arts. She is my greatest mentor and teacher. I have never went to art school, and can paint the way I do because of her teaching. She has brought me around legendary artist, which are her friends, since I was young. To name a few I was blessed enough to learn from artist such as Mar Bradford. , Samala, Lewis, Willie, Middlebrook, and Henry Taylor to name a few. Growing up around high art bled into my veins. My mother would do live performances in front of thousands of people alongside me and my five other siblings when we were only toddlers. She would guide us through extraordinary performance pieces that were deeply moving and provocative. I am nothing but blessed to be able to now fully connect with the artist and me and these past two years of becoming a visual artist. I credit where I am, and my artist career, to my mother and mentor Lili Bernard. I have recently had my first solo and group exhibitions this past July in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba the Festival de Caribe. I exhibited my series, Visionaries as Orishas, and was in a group show alongside legendary artist Alberto Lescay, Alejandro Lescay, Lili Bernard, Isaiah Bernard Ferguson and Elias Bernard Ferguson. I have had a quick integration into the high art world thanks to my mother and her organization aiding my great artistic efforts.

Website: https://lilibernard.com/site/?page_id=19169

Instagram: @u.r.i.art (art page) @uriswrld

Youtube: https://youtu.be/aoP2L2FK0Bw