bio

I was conceived in the Andes Mountains and forged in the Midwestern plains. My spirit is composed of Spanish-style architecture on cliffs and valleys, but also of the grid and mega-tall structures at the edge of Lake Michigan, lush flora and fauna, as well as flat prairies and endless fields of corn.

From the Bogotá of my youth to Chicago today, I have always been conscious of senseless violence and political unrest. And so, I have learned to see the world from above like a bird in midflight or like an artist with foresight. Addressing issues aesthetically, I consider in my work the way complex systems exist today. From sustainability to war, and others, I offer unapologetic optimistic visions of progress — carefully rendered “sketches” of my hopes and dreams for the future of humanity.

Aware of my mortality, I want to contribute to our civilization’s continuum. My mom passed away when I was a teenager, and my dad’s life choices are ones to avoid. I’m lucky I can find support from my extended family and my life-partner, Veronica — the source of beauty in my life.

Forever a student of everything, I am always curious and never satisfied. Researching is my entertainment, I watch history shows and read scientific papers for fun. I believe comedy is art, and love long philosophical conversations paired with German-style beer or Scotch. I am passionate and intense, yet cool and collected. I am hardworking and straightforward, self-aware and analytical. I am easily seduced by beauty, not because I’m shallow, but because I want to understand its inherent complexities and power.

A few years back, as an artist, my ideas grew beyond painting and drawing. Creating soft sculptures for the body came next. I became more interested in design — a different kind of problem-solving based on economics and human behavior — and submerged myself in fashion at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. Now, as a brand new designer in 2017, I aspire to be a good steward of refined craftsmanship and tradition; I strive to maintain the legacy of good design wherever I work, and elevate fashion further through collaborations across disciplines with scientists, engineers, and other artists.

statement

My practice is a manifesto on human advancement, social progress, and a deeper appreciation for nature. Each series, or work within, forms a vision — a sketch — of an ideal future for our species. These are often based on extrapolations of new and promising technologies in different sectors, like medicine or engineering, as well as timeless concepts found in science and philosophy.

Fueled by the absurdity and obscenity in quotidian political and entertainment news, I use utopianism and futurism as cathartic, as well as poetic, modes to cast criticism, while at the same time cultivate hope and plant new ideas.

I abstain from Postmodernist cynicism and veneration for the banal and trivial. Instead, I follow Modernist tradition in bold theory and the pursuit of a lasting legacy.

We must evolve into a more conscientious, cooperative, and educated people. A species that stops behaving like a cancer that slowly kills its only host — planet Earth — and instead sets out to create collective goals. Goals that will fulfill our apparent cosmological categorical imperative — to nurture, guard, and spread life.