Venezuelan photographer Nelson Garrido, who spent a six-decade-long career interrogating power, religion, violence, and eroticism, died on August 20, 2026, days before his 74th birthday. The news was confirmed by his daughter, Gala Garrido.

Born in Caracas in 1952, Garrido’s formative years in France, Italy, and Chile were key in shaping his artistic vision. At 14, he worked with kinetic art pioneer Carlos Cruz-Diez, and at 16, befriended and photographed poet Nicanor Parra, marking his first published photographs.

Upon returning to Venezuela, Garrido’s theatrical and community immersions, particularly with worker communities and set designs for plays and films, greatly influenced his utopian anarchism. His work, drawing on set design reliquaries, crucifixions, and the works of Old Masters, delved into the 'aesthetics of the ugly'. His iconic 1999 photo series, La nave de los locos, features a local fishing community aboard a vessel, symbolizing a nation adrift. One of his most provocative works, the 1993 photograph 'La crucifixión do cochino levitando', depicting a crucified pig, sparked outrage and cemented his status as a controversial figure in Venezuelan art.

Garrido’s dedication to absolute freedom in his photographic practice resonates in his lasting impact on the art world. His fearless exploration of taboo subjects ensures his work remains a powerful, unflinching critique of societal ills.