Rodrigo “Rod” Bustamante is a Cuban-American visual artist based in Los Angeles, California

Originally from Miami, Florida, Rodrigo has always cherished his relationship with the ocean. It instantly became his muse when he picked up his first camera and over the years, inspired the throughline of his work – discovering what extends beyond the horizon. Rodrigo has continued to nurture a passion for exploration by chronicling his journeys with vulnerability and showing reverence for the places he encounters.

Rodrigo graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in May 2020, as a Morehead-Cain scholar, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Global Studies. He pursued a truly interdisciplinary curriculum, completing courses that ranged from photojournalism and experiential design to environmental justice and social change. While academia widened his artistic aperture, Rodrigo found his voice through multimedia expression. He directed a documentary about the growth of soccer in Cuba, co-founded a sustainable fashion venture, studied traditional textile-making practices in India, created an immersive installation for PUMA, and won the Carolina Global Photography award four times.

Professionally, Rodrigo has worked for the creative teams of Patagonia, Sonos, and UNICEF. He currently works for Prophet, a strategy consulting firm, where he focuses on purpose-led brand positioning and serves as a leader in the firm’s ESG, Latinx, and Pro-Bono initiatives.