Brazilian artist Angélica Dass partners with TECNO for global portrait series

Co-created with Angélica Dass, the “100 Portraits of Becoming” initiative aims to capture 100 authentic portraits of individuals worldwide and document their unique journeys of becoming. 

According to the phone maker, the portraits — spanning diverse backgrounds — serve as a testament to the human tapestry and spark a global cultural conversation surrounding authentic representation, identity, dignity, and human becoming in the age of AI.

“Every image shapes assumptions — why it matters, who matters, and how people are understood. That makes fair and accurate representation increasingly important in the AI era. But beyond representation lies a bigger question: who is the real person behind the image?” said Jack Guo, General Manager at TECNO.

Tecno argued that “100 Portraits of Becoming” brings together the true diversity of human life through inclusive imaging innovation, which helps individuals be represented more fairly, and Dass’s human-centered approach to portraiture.

As an award-winning Brazilian-Spanish visual artist best known for Humanæ — a global portrait series that challenges conventional ideas of racial identity — Angélica Dass recognized long before others that skin tones are more than just colors; they are reflections of unique cultures and individual identities. Her work emphasizes that every person deserves to be viewed as an individual rather than a category.

In her practice, Dass uses portraiture to let the individuality of her subjects come through, treating skin tone not as a label, but as an entry point into personal narratives.

“Through this project, we want to move beyond representation as technical accuracy alone and explore representation as recognition — enabling technology not only to capture people faithfully, but to help people feel truly seen. By moving beyond bias, labels, and stereotypes, we hope to build a future where technology reflects people more authentically and allows the world to understand them more fully. Truthful representation is the foundation of genuine human understanding,” Dass said on “100 Portraits of Becoming”.

“My portrait practice has always been less about documenting appearance and more about creating space for people to exist beyond assumptions. What moved me about this collaboration is the shared vision and the possibility of bringing that intention into a medium used by millions every day. I am excited that this initiative is not about defining people — it is about allowing identity to remain open, layered, and human,” added the visual artist.