Mário Tendinha was born in Moçâmedes, Angola, in 1950.

At the age of 18 he began to paint and draw, greatly influenced by modern trends at the time, pop music, hippies and social movements.

Comics, one of his passions since childhood, leaves marks on his work, which is reflected in the techniques and media used at the time.

His first solo exhibition was in 1972 in Huambo, Angola.

In 1975, when South African troops invaded Angola, his residence and studio in Lubango were robbed, completely vandalized and he stopped painting. He only returned to painting and exhibiting from 2003 onwards.

Mário Tendinha is represented in collections in Angola, Brazil, Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, New Zealand, Australia, USA and South Africa.