This section of my website showcases a pivotal moment in my early career, combining my academic studies with my visual art practice. While completing my Licenciatura en Letras at the Universidad Central de Venezuela, I undertook an in-depth semiological analysis of the Venezuelan fashion magazine Complot, resulting in my thesis titled Un Complot de Lectura: El Individualismo y la Seducción de la Costura Secreta del Latin Chic. This thesis was awarded the degree of sobresaliente, recognized for its groundbreaking transdisciplinary approach, blending literary theory with visual culture. The jury commended my research for its theoretical depth and its original contribution to interdisciplinary studies.

My thesis was guided by three esteemed scholars: Rafael Castillo Zapata, Boris Muñoz, and Vicente Lecuna. Rafael Castillo Zapata, my tutor, is a renowned Venezuelan poet, essayist, and visual artist whose expertise in Latin American literature and cultural theory profoundly shaped the conceptual framework of my work. Now a professor in the U.S., his academic legacy continues to inform contemporary Latin American thought. Boris Muñoz, a Venezuelan-American journalist and editor, whose work has appeared in publications such as The New York Times, provided valuable insights into cultural narratives. Vicente Lecuna, an academic specializing in Latin American literature and urban studies, brought a critical perspective on the intersection of politics, literature, and media. Both Muñoz and Lecuna are now based in the U.S., further situating my research within a broader transnational context of academic exchange.

During the process of writing my thesis, I deepened my study of photography under the mentorship of Nelson Garrido, a seminal Venezuelan visual artist. Garrido’s radical approach to visual storytelling, which interrogates themes of violence, political ideology, and sexual identity, profoundly influenced my artistic practice. Through his guidance at the ONG (Organización Nelson Garrido), I developed a series of black-and-white photographs, one of which served as the cover for my thesis. These photographs represent my early explorations of visual narrative and identity, and reflect the foundations of my later work that combines personal and political histories.

In this section, I am sharing a selection of those early black-and-white photographs, alongside the introduction of my thesis in PDF format. This body of work marks a formative period in my development as an artist and thinker, bridging my Venezuelan roots with the broader global conversations on identity, visual culture, and fashion.

As an artist now based in Los Angeles, this early work continues to inform my teaching philosophy and creative practice. My academic and artistic trajectory—from my training in literature and photography in Venezuela to my interdisciplinary work in the U.S.—equips me to engage with diverse perspectives in the classroom, while contributing to contemporary discourses on migration, identity, and visual culture.