NATURALEZA

I spent most of my twenties convinced that there was nothing beyond the physical world. Growing up Catholic, I eventually distanced myself from faith—perhaps as a shield against the shame and exclusion I had felt, or as an act of self-preservation. I rejected the idea of divinity, embracing atheism as a stance of defiance, a way to reclaim my own identity. But as I entered my thirties, something shifted.

I was fortunate to spend the COVID-19 pandemic in Sydney, where lockdowns were brief, and solitude often meant long walks by the ocean. During those quiet moments, I found myself writing, reflecting, questioning. The vastness of the sea, the rhythm of the waves, and the endless sky above me became a catalyst for a kind of introspection I had never allowed myself before. Nature had always been present in my life—my father instilled in me a deep admiration for the cosmos, the delicate balance of ecosystems, and the mysteries that science has yet to unravel. But it wasn’t until then that I truly understood what he meant.

When I returned to Colombia, I immersed myself in the country’s landscapes, traveling through rainforests, deserts, mountains, and oceans. I learned about the intricate codes that govern life—the perfect symmetry of botanicals, the healing properties of plants, the way colors in nature affect our mental state. The more I explored, the more I realized that what I had once dismissed as esoteric philosophy was, in fact, a profound truth: everything is interconnected. From the golden ratios in living organisms to the patterns woven into ancient civilizations, the very fabric of existence seemed to follow an unseen order.

This realization—this reverence for nature—became the foundation of Naturaleza. It is not just a collection of photographs; it is an act of gratitude. A way to acknowledge that there is far more that we do not know than what we do. It is my offering to the cosmos, an exploration of the beauty that transcends human constructs, and a reflection on the shared ignorance that unites us all.
Since the beginning of time, artists, poets, and philosophers have sought to understand nature’s wisdom. Science and technology have given us incredible knowledge, yet even the greatest minds have been unable to answer the most fundamental questions about existence. Where do we come from? What binds us together? And why?

Naturaleza is my way of engaging with these questions. Through vernacular photography collected on my travels, I seek to capture not just the aesthetic beauty of nature, but the sense of wonder it evokes. The more I work on this project, the less I see beauty as subjective. To me, beauty in this context is not merely an artistic concept—it is a truth. It is something that exists both within and beyond us, something that connects us to the world and to one another.

In an age of noise and misinformation, where institutions have shaped belief systems yet also inflicted harm, I want this project to transcend those human failings. To separate the faults of man from the undeniable truth that we are part of something greater—something vast, intricate, and deeply significant.

Naturaleza is not just an artistic statement. It is an invitation to reflect. To embrace humility in the face of the unknown. To recognize the delicate balance that sustains us and to assume responsibility for preserving it. It is a call to rediscover our place in the world—not as observers, but as participants in something far more extraordinary than we may ever fully understand.