A Puerto Rican with a bright soul and vibrant energy, Astrid Muñoz experiences the world in an unlimited variety of ways. Traversing rustic landscapes and living in the tropical jungle, visiting luxurious hotels and starring on the big catwalks, Astrid enjoys every way in which life manifests itself.
paris:
the
beginning
She grew up surrounded by strong female personalities, and her leadership manifested itself early in life, making every decision with the goal of being unique and expressing her limitless essence. Her upbringing was woven between scraps of fabric and buttons, learning from her mother and cousins how to embroider landscapes, weave heats, draw intricate laces and materialize the most original designs of the great fashion representatives of the time. This instilled in her a respect for ancestral knowledge, as well as an appreciation for the sophistication of international fashion.
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At a very young age, Astrid Muñoz migrated to Paris, where, with determination, she dedicated effort and strategic thinking to ensure that her Latin exoticism was recognized on the most demanding catwalks and editorials of the fashion industry. Thus, Mario Testino’s muse paved the way for Latin women in the modeling world, breaking taboos.
After a decade of a very successful career as a model, where she was on the cover of magazines such as Vogue, Marie Claire, L’Officiel, Elle, or Harper’s Bazaar, and catwalked for brands such as Chanel, Balenciaga, Christian Dior and Dolce & Gabbana, among others, this versatile woman decided to shift to the opposite side of the lens. Trained at the prestigious ICP in New York, she began working in fashion photography as a self-portraitist. Among her most important works, she was summoned by Carine Roitfield for Vogue, and made for Karl Lagerfeld an important campaign of self-referential photographs with Chanel’s haute couture dresses. The photographer culminated this exploration in her editorials with Esprit, a series of images taken on the island of Skye that she modeled herself, and which she then presented as an art exhibition, shattering the traditional schemes associated with fashion campaigns.
After this phase, Astrid Muñoz decided to expand her research, starting to photograph in a documentary way. Through her sensitive and detailed gaze, she manages to capture the beauty of the instant, the genuine. In this quest, Astrid traveled through Mexico for four years, portraying its landscapes and its inhabitants in an authentic way. When she settled in Argentina, she created a series of photographs of the figure of the gaucho, an emblematic character of this region, which she later presented in a solo exhibition at Jeager-LeCoultre’s Bond Street store in London.
behind
the
lens
marriage
of essences
Her Latin exuberance and determination intertwine with the old continent’s refinement. Latin American millenary principles are part of her essence, along with a respect for diversity and craftsmanship. In turn, in the streets of Paris Astrid soaked up exquisite and sophisticated design, in London’s avenues she appreciated the value of the purest art, in her voyages through the Greek islands and the Italian coast she learnt about the pleasure of luxury.
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Astrid has always been interested in learning about local cultures and artisans. To understand their worldview and their way of doing things, with their myths and rituals. On the catwalks, she would approach the seamstresses to learn about the different types of stitching, about hems and darts, about every detail that makes an object unique. She has always been interested in the magic of the hands behind a piece. Artisan hands that, with their own timings, engender and give life to unique objects, signed by the imprint of their creator. Because, for Astrid, the secret of each piece lies in the energy it emanates, in the way it touches everyone who stands in front of it.
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The marriage of the different essences that run through Astrid gives rise to a unique vision of the world, with a power that reveals the value of each place’s spirit, creating unexpected and unorthodox combinations, but always signed by attention to detail and sophistication.
laying down
roots
Currently, Astrid leads Curatoria, a space that brings together the most sophisticated and unique Latin American art and design. It includes designs of excellent emerging artists from Latin America, related to jewelry, interior design and textiles. She also works with native communities in the design and development of unique pieces that combine ancient techniques with her cosmopolitan vision of design. In this way, she manages to connect artists, designers and artisans to the global market, increasing the value of handmade products. Noble materials, elegant morphologies and exquisite color palettes abound in the objects that Astrid Muñoz carefully selects for Curatoria, highlighting the ancestral and artisanal knowledge of the Latin region.
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The social purpose of the project consists primarily in increasing the visibility of the work of different indigenous groups, preserving their knowledge. But her intentions penetrate even deeper, since what touches her and drives her to intervene is her desire to see people belonging to these groups recognized as bearers of cultural heritage and essential symbolic value for the human race. Her alliance with the communities allows her to become a bridge with foundations and social actors that can provide concrete assistance to meet specific needs.
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The thread of her work is fundamentally traversed by a vision of sustainability that seeks to stop the frenetic tempos to which the industry is habituated, managing to forge respect for the object produced, and for those who manufactured it. Its intention is to build an environmentally friendly production model, therefore importance is given to the selected materials, to recycling, and to the production processes, seeking to learn and improve day by day.
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With a firm step, Astrid Muñoz forged her own destiny. Interweaving her passions with her experiences and her spirit, she brings Curatoria to life, manifesting her vision of the world.
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