ABOUT
ARTIST STATEMENT
"I create narrative artwork that chronicles the collision of cruelty against compassion. Autobiographical anecdotes intertwine with sociocultural struggles of my cosmopolitan Caribbean immigrant family and ancestors, mirrored in contemporary American life. Afro-Cuban religious iconography and history tether together survivorship stories of the past and present. The unconquerable nature of the human spirit reigns over the impact of trauma. Resistance and resilience resound in joy superseding suffering."
LILI BERNARD
BIO
LILI BERNARD is a Cuban-born, Los Angeles-based interdisciplinary artist of mixed African, Caribbean, European and Chinese descent. Her work examines issues of sexism, racism, trauma and resilience. A mother of six whom she birthed in a ten-year span, Lili is an award-winning exhibiting fine artist, actor, published writer, independent curator, educator, community organizer, public speaker and founder of Art Roots Mambí and BAILA: Black Artists in Los Angeles.
Raised predominantly in Princeton, Jct., New Jersey, and a graduate of The American School in Japan where she spent 11th and 12th grade, Lili attended Cornell University and The City University of New York, earning a B.A. in German. She received her MFA in Visual Arts/Public Practice from Otis College of Art and Design.
In the fine arts, Lili’s numerous credits include a 2017 solo exhibition at Museum of African Diaspora and favorable reviews in a multitude of mainstream art periodicals, including ARTnews Magazine.
As an actor who has performed extensively in NYC Off-Broadway theatre, on television Lili starred in the BBC film Murder in Oakland, co-starred in BET's War Dawgz movie and Stephen King’s Golden Years TV mini series, and guest-starred on the sit-coms, Seinfeld and The Cosby Show.
A public-figure anti-rape activist, Lili influenced the abolishment of the statute of limitations on rape prosecution in California with her #EndRapeSOL peers, as well as nation-wide gubernatorial signings of various #MeToo bills on employment discrimination, sexual harassment and assault.
EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION
Masters of Fine Arts from Otis College of Art and Design, Bachelor of Arts from City Univeristy of New York, Three Years Undergraduate at Cornell University, High School Diploma from The American School in Japan
EXHIBITIONS
Solo exhibition include Museum of the African Diaspora (2017), SBCAST Gallery (2016), Cielo Galleries (2016 & 2015), LACC Art Gallery (2014), Barnsdall Gallery Theatre (2014), Leimert Park Vision Theater (2014), St. Agatha’s Catholic Church (2012), and Hollywood Women’s Club (2011). Group exhibition include Walter Maciel Gallery, Coagula Curatorial, Dallas Art Fair, Charlie James Gallery, Self-Help Graphics, Gregorio Escalante Gallery, Launch Gallery, Bolsky Gallery, Forest Lawn Museum, Torrance Art Museum, Lancaster Museum of Art and History, LACE, LA Artcore, ArtShare LA, Watts Towers Arts Center, SOMArts, William Grant Still Arts Center and Taller Cultural.
AWARDS
Museum of the African Diaspora Emerging Artists Program (2016-2017), California Community Foundation We are Los Angeles Grant (2016), Women’s Center for Creative Work Grant (2016), Joan Mitchell Emerging Artist Finalist Grant (2015), Otis Outstanding Contribution Award (2014), Otis MFA Class Marshall (2014), Otis Board of Governors Fellowship (2012-2014), and International Society of Black Latinos Artist Award (2014).
FAVORABLE REVIEWS
ARTnews Magazine, KCET ArtBound, LA Weekly, SF Weekly, Artillery Magazine, KCRW, Modern Art Blitz, Coagula Art Journal, Tikkun Magazine, Art Voices Magazine, Good Day LA, BuzzFeed and Huff Post.
BIBLIOGRAPHY (with weblinks)
2025
Lili Bernard Se Reencuentra con Sus Raíces Ancestrales, Progreso Weekly Semanal, Havana Cuba
Cuba Celebra el 1 Encuentro Internacional de Ancestralidad, Cuba Ahora, Havana, Cuba
Cuba Celebra el 1 Encuentro Internacional de Ancestralidad, Maya Quiroga Canal YouTube, Havana, Cuba
Cuban Dep. Foreign Affairs Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío D.C. Talk, C-Span
Troubled Territories: The Will to Heal, AfroMundo Festival, Albuquerque, New Mexico
War Dawz Movie, Lili Bernard Co-Stars as Miss Leanne, BET Plus
2024
Decolinization: The Power of the Painted Image, MUSEA. Journal for Museolog
Her Granddaughter, Her Son and Sa-I-Gu: Meet Lili Bernard, KNewsLA
Despedirán hoy al Festival del Caribe con Desfile del Fuego, Periodico Sierra Maestra, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
AB2587 #MeToo Bill Sexual Assault: Statute of Limitations, California State Assembly
2023
First Alberto Lescay Home Studio Visit, Art Roots Mambi YouTube
Suing Cosby, NBC News Now
Bill Cosby Faces New Lawsuit by Nine Women Alleging Sexual Assault, Variety Magazine
Assaulted by Bill Cosby, Part 1, Lili Bernard, Navigating Narcism with Dr. Ramani, Red Table Talk
Assaulted by Bill Cosby, Part 2, Lili Bernard, Navigating Narcism with Dr. Ramani, Red Table Talk
2022
The Phoenix Project Exhibition, Korean Cultural Center, ABC 7 Eyewitness News, Los Angeles, CA
The Phoenix Project 2022: Continuing the Dialogue from 1992, Spectrum News 1, Los Angeles, CA
The Phoenix Project KCCLA, YTV Korean News
The Artist Lili Bernard, Discover LA’s Top Contemporary Artists, Ren Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Black History Month, W. Kamau Bell and Lili Bernard, We Need to Talk About Cosby, CBS News
Lili Bernard Talks Trauma, Healing & Whether Coming Forward Was Worth It, Essence Magazine
2021
Black Artist Lili Bernard Shares Her Thoughts on Diversity, Pasadena Magazine
All About Ava Short Film, LIli Bernard Co-Stars as Karina Ricardo, AFI American Film Institute
Lili Bernard, Allies Podcast, Dynamic Art and Motion Media Group, LLC
Bill Cosby is Sued by Woman Who Says He Assaulted Her in 1990, New York Times
Lili Bernard Says She Suffers Panic Attacks From Alleged Cosby Assault, CNN
Bill Cosby Accuser Files Lawsuit Against Comedian, ABC 7 Eyewitness News
Bill Cosby Accuser Sues the Comedian Over Alleged Atlantic City Assault, Philadelphia Inquirer
Actress Lili Bernard Files Lawsuit Against Bill Cosby Alleging He Drugged and Raped Her, CNN
2020
Lili Bernard, Now Be Here, Los Angeles, CA
The Centre Cannot Short Film, Lili Bernard Co-Stars As Abi, AFI American Film Institute
GMILF Short Film, Lili Bernard Stars as Mama Cuervo, AFI American Film Institute
2019
Mira Sorvino, Lili Bernard Lead Tribute to R. Kelly Survivors, The Wrap
2018
Creative Souls, book by Paul Von Blum, Duke University Press
Creative Souls: The Exhibition, Tikkun Magazine
Life Lessons, Motherhood and Art, KCET Artbound
Viva La Vulva Group Art Show at Ren Gallery, Artillery Magazine
Closing Symposium for We Wanted a Revolution: Black Radical Women, California African American Museum
2017
Ten Artists Look South of the Border at Loft at Liz’s, Genie Davis, Art & Cake
Michael Jackson Remains Invisible: A Series of Art Exhibits at MoAD, Jonathan Curiel, SF Weekly
Sweet Sticky Things Soars at Launch Gallery, Genie Davis, Art & Cake
Sweet Sticky Things Artists Talk with Moderator by Naima Keith, Eric Minh Swenson, Take 1 Art Series
Sweet Sticky Things, Narrative Painting as the Voice of Black Women, Mat Gleason, HuffPost
Sweet Sticky Things, Wall Street International
Art Community Wants Exhibit to “Re-Imagine” Justice, Angie Crouch, NBC TV LA
“Re-Imagine Justice” Explores Past & Present of South LA, Cora Jackson-Fossett, Sentinel
In LA, 50 Artists Respond to the Black Panther’s Legacy, Matt Stromberg, Hyperallergic
50 Artists Interpret 50 Years of the Black Panther Party, Juxtapoz
PSA Holds Annual Occupy McKeldin, Emilie Fleuette, The Writer’s Bloc
Defense Lawyer Should Win Oscar for Performance, Lindsey, Ellefson, CNN
I’m One of Bill Cosby’s Accusers. His Defense Strategy is Reprehensible, Op Ed, Los Angeles Times
2016
LA Habitat: Lili Bernard, Katherine McMahon, ARTnews Magazine
Visits to the Studios of 16 Artists Over the Next 16 Weeks, Katherine McMahon, ARTNews Magazine
Lili Bernard & Robbie Conal, Mat Gleason, Modern Art Blitz
Eric Minh Swenson’s Art World Yearbook of Art World All Stars, Mat Gleason, Coagula Curatorial
More than 700 Female Artists Pose for a Portrait, Seven of Them Reflect on the Experience, ArtBound KCET
Lili Bernard Interview on Good Day LA, Steve Edwards & Araksya Karapetyan, Fox News
Inspired by Accusations Against Bill Cosby, CA Lawmakers Move to Lift Limits on Rape Cases, LA Times
2015
Lili Bernard: Fighting Trauma with Art, Liz Ohanesian, ArtBound KCET
Chats About Change: Critical Conversation on Art & Politics, Michael Ano, ArtBound KCET
Emerging Artists Grant Finalist Awards, Joan Mitchell Foundation
Visual Artist Highlights Afro-Latin History & Uplifts Artists, Ashley Nash, Annenberg Digital News
No Longer Afraid: Bill Cosby Accusers Speak Out, Noreen Malone/Amanda Demme, New York Magazine
Bill Cosby Protestors Demand Change in Rape Laws, Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times
2014
Rise: Love, Revolution & the Black Panther Party, Kenya Davis-Hayes, ArtBound KCET
New Art Show Honors Black Panthers, Lisa Napoli, Arts & Culture Magazine & Radio, KCRW
Lili Bernard Talks Inspiration on Rise: Love & the Black Panther Party At Exhibition, ARTShareLA
Lili Bernard: Women of the West Indies, Pan African Film Festival & Caribbean TV, Shakti Productions
Lili Bernard: Artist, Laurel Paley, Collegian Wired News
2013
Culture: A Visual Critique of Racism, Paul Von Blum, Tikkun Magazine
Otis College Gallery Summer Show Seeks to Confront Societal Standards, Beatrice Rose, The Argonaut
2012
BAILA con Duende, Curated by Lili Bernard, Mar Yvette, Good Day LA Fox News
Artist Lili Bernard, Mat Gleason, Coagula Webisode
Seven Beauties and Underground Gallery, Nathan Solis, Avenue Meander