My work bridges worlds-weaving together fragments of history, identity, and material to create a new cultural language.
Born in Philadelphia in 1989 and raised in Accra, Ghana, Ato Ribeiro's work explores the intersection of his West African heritage and African American identity.
Ribeiro is best known for his wooden assemblages that reference both Ghanaian strip-woven kente cloth and Black quilting traditions of the American South-textile practices that served as coded communication systems within their respective cultures. Working primarily with discarded wood, Ribeiro transforms these overlooked materials into geometric patterns that create a visual language exploring diaspora, cultural hybridity, and historical memory.
"My wooden kente and quilt works, mixed media installations and prints provide educational opportunities to seek out new points of reference, while preserving layers of African cultural heritage and varying ethnic perspectives," Ribeiro explains.
His work has been recognized through numerous prestigious residencies and fellowships, including the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (2021), Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin through the Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Emerging Artist Award (2017), and the Santa Fe Art Institute (2017).
Through his practice, Ribeiro examines themes of separation, remembrance, and cultural reclamation, creating works that honor forgotten histories while fostering connection and optimistic growth.