We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vladimir Cybil Charlier a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Vladimir Cybil thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

I have drawn on my Caribbean and Haitian roots throughout my career to inform my artistic endeavors. When I first began, there was a distinct lack of discourse surrounding diasporic art, leaving it largely unexplored. Alongside my colleagues, our collective body of work helped shape and define a platform for artists of the diaspora, encompassing a wide range of backgrounds, including those from Southeast Asia, LatinX, the Caribbean and beyond.

As an artist in residence at the Studio Museum of Harlem, I remember advocating for the incorporation of tri-lingual wall labels for my artworks. And I am pleased to see that this practice has gained traction, with bilingual wall texts now being commonplace in esteemed institutions like the Whitney Museum.

Vladimir Cybil, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As an artist, I embrace a multi-disciplinary approach, exploring various forms of media to express my creativity. While my artistic background lies in painting, I am constantly pushing my boundaries. I am currently delving into printmaking, developing print editions, and creating clay sculptures. I also take on diverse projects, including site-specific installations, public artwork, and commissioned pieces.

My artistic vision is rooted in the reinterpretation and reinvention of traditional imagery and concepts. I often apply a contemporary twist to historic themes, breathing new life into them. A recent example of this is my print portfolio, the ‘Diaspora Vodou Survival Kit,’ which reimagines traditional archetypes. In that series, an iconic figure like Malcom X was reinvented as Ogou X, a diasporic god of war, and Billie Holiday was cast as the goddess of love.

A commissioned project that comes to mind is Delia’s Dilemma. The project was a reinterpretation of a sukkah, a contemporary functional structure used for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, a celebration of harvest. My piece was inspired by Taino architecture, the indigenous people of the Caribbean, as well as traditional crafts such as the metal cutouts of Haiti.

I strive to infuse my designs with a contemporary, urban sensibility, incorporating elements that reflect the modern world and urban culture. A key concept that drives my work is the idea that the designs of African and indigenous cultures are inherently modern. We do not have to invent or reinvent it. We already are.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

As I mentioned previously, I was trained as an oil painter. However, during grad school, I developed a severe allergic reaction to the painting pigments and solvents, which forced me to change my approach. Despite my strong attachment to the process of oil painting, I had to adapt my practice by experimenting with alternative materials to convey my ideas in both two and three dimensions.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

I recently curated a show at the Garner Arts Center called “When The Tropics Are Quiet” and collaborated with several of the participating artists to install the exhibition. I find that when I am passionate and fully committed to a project, my team members tend to be as well. This often leads to extraordinary results, as was the case with this show, and we always have a great time working together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vladimircybil.com
• Instagram: @vladimircybil
• Facebook: Vladimir Cybil Charlier
• Linkedin: Vladimir Cybil Charlier

Image Credits

Nelson Castillo _Portrait of artist
Genesis Salinas- For Diaspora Vodou Survival Kit (Images of the box and of content of the box)
All other images are : courtesy of the artist