A graduate of the École Nationale des Métiers de l’Image des Gobelins in Paris, Nú Barreto has forged a language of his own and developed a multidisciplinary and political practice. Using dry mediums, collage, reconstituted materials, and new media, Barreto expresses strong symbolism through form, colour, and patterns.

In 1998, Barreto represented his country at the Lisbon World Fair in Portugal. Since then, his work has received international exposure and Barreto has established himself as one of the most prominent artists of contemporary African art.