Where the Serpent Sleeps

Henry Bermudez is an Afro-Venezuelan artist based in Philadelphia whose practice spans painting, sculpture, and multimedia installation. Working across religious and cultural traditions—pre-Hispanic, Judeo-Christian, and Afro-Caribbean—he constructs layered visual narratives that examine identity formation and historical consciousness. His process involves painted crosses, cut paper forms, and sculptural elements that merge symbolic imagery with gestural mark-making, creating works that oscillate between the mythological and the autobiographical. Since the 1970s, Bermudez has exhibited extensively throughout North and South America, establishing an international presence in public and private collections. Beyond studio practice, he works as an educator, muralist, and curator, embedding his artistic inquiry within community and institutional frameworks.