Fabiola Ferrero
Caracas, Venezuela, 1991
Fabiola Ferrero is a documentary photographer whose work explores the cultural legacies of Venezuela’s twentieth-century modernization, driven by the oil industry. With a background in writing and investigative journalism, she addresses themes of politics, history, and collective memory. Through long-term investigations, Ferrero examines how petroleum has influenced perceptions of progress, beauty, religion, and national identity.
In 2021, Fabiola founded Semillero Migrante, a mentorship program for emerging photographers from Latin America, to create opportunities and democratize access to photography education. She served as a jury member for the World Press Photo 2022 contest in the South American region and was a Magnum Foundation Fellow in the Social Justice Program in 2018. Additionally, she was a fellow at Columbia University's Institute for Ideas and Imagination in Paris for the 2023-2024 cohort and received a grant from Deloitte for her project, "Reinas," in 2025.
Among her recognitions are the Carmignac Photojournalism Award in 2021 and the World Press Photo in the Long-Term Projects Category.
I Can’t Hear the Birds 2017-2023 // Kids play on top on abandoned oil structures
I Can’t Hear the Birds 2017-2023
Reinas (2026-ongoing) // Miss Crystal Models
Looking for the Olive Trees (2025-ongoing)
Reinas (2026-ongoing)
Reinas (2026-ongoing) // Verónica Selva covers herself in glitter before going on stage for the Miss Hermandad Gallega in Caracas
I Can’t Hear the Birds 2017-2023 // A guacamaya under heavy rain in Caracas
GRANTS, AWARDS, AND RESIDENCIES
2026 Excellence in Visual Journalism Award - Grant issued by The National Geographic Society.
2025 IILA Photo Award for the project Looking for the Olive Trees.
2024 Deloitte Photo Grant for the project Reinas.
2023 World Press Photo, Long Term Projects Category for South America. Project Can’t Hear the Birds.
2021 Carmignac Photojournalism Award.
2021 Inge Morath Award. By Magnum Photos + Magnum Foundation.
2021 6Mois Photojournalism Award.
2020 National Geographic Society Covid-19 Emergency Fund, Ruda Colectiva.
2018 World Press Photo, Talent Program South America.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (Selection)
2023 World Press Photo, Travelling Exhibition.
2023 Una=Todas National Art Gallery, Caracas.
2022 Le Monde vu par les femmes d’Amerique Latine Galerie Rivoli, Paris.
2020 Station Museum of Contemporary Art, Houston.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS (Selection)
2025 2026 Reinas Triennale Museum, Milan.
2025 Looking for the Olive Trees IILA, Trastevere Museum, Rome.
2023 I Can’t Hear the Birds, Caracas.
2022 2023 The Wells Run Dry Relief Editions. Travelling: Paris, Cortona, Brussels.
EDUCATION
2023-2024 Fellow, Institute for Ideas & Imagination. Columbia University.
2019 Joop Swart Masterclass, World Press Photo Foundation, Amsterdam.
2018-2019 Fellow, Photography & Social Justice. Magnum Foundation, New York.
2014-2015 Diploma, Investigative Journalism. UCAB, Caracas.
2009-2014 BA Social Communication, Journalism. UCAB, Caracas.