In this work, Bedia articulates a visual prayer that blends his interest in Afro-Caribbean religious traditions (notably the Palo Monte faith) with contemporary figurative painting. The word “Tata” refers to the spiritual father or padrino in Palo Monte, a ritual figure charged with protection and guidance. The title, “Protect Us”, carries a collective plea for safeguarding against ancestral or spiritual forces, not merely an individual cry.

We can read the work as an act of petition but also as an affirmation of identity: “Oh Tata, protect us” means both “guide us” and “establish yourself as protector”, reaffirming the artist’s connection to his ritual lineage, spiritual practice and visual language.