William D. Caballero

“After all, if we don’t tell our own stories, then who will?”

Caballero Headshot1


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William D. Caballero is a multimedia filmmaker and writer that tells big stories using small figures.

Born in Coney Island, New York and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Caballero obtained the Gates Millennium Scholarship in 2001, and returned to New York City where he graduated from Pratt Institute (BFA Digital Art, 2006, Minor in Art History ) and New York University (MA The Arts and Humanities in Education, 2008).

Blending both 3D animation and documentary, Caballero interviews subjects before transforming them into photorealistic miniature replicas of themselves. These film works, oftentimes featuring members of his own Puerto Rican- American family, have premiered at hundreds of reputable institutions, including the Sundance Film Festival, and Museum of Modern Art. His 3D printed macro-protagonists examine American, Latino, gender/sexuality, and existential identity, becoming hosts to discussions on issues far larger than they. This is sometimes accomplished with humor and other times through somber introspection, allowing each new miniature world to take on new traits across many eclectic genres, using the medium of film and video.

He is a 2018 Guggenheim Fellow and 2021 Creative Capital Awardee, and currently based in Los Angeles, California. 

His creative mantra is "empower, enlighten, and express", and it underlies his desire to spread the gift of creativity amongst diverse people, liberating them from the oppression of mainstream tastes and values. Caballero's video work champions a new reality, where brown- skinned nerds and LGBT geeks feel empowered to tell their own stories using their own voice. After all, if we don't tell our own stories, then who will?

Artist Information

Residency Dates Aug 23 — Dec 7 2021

Currently Based Los Angeles, California

Mediums Video
Film