Christophe Roberts: Cut from a different cloth

Who, other than Christophe Roberts, would have managed to be so articulate about those who pursue multidisciplinary arts?

As a maestro in the field himself, Roberts works in painting, graphic designing, creative direction, and sculpture. Moreover, he focuses on the subjects of consumerism, masculinity, and personal history by reusing everyday items, such as shoe boxes and building materials to name a few.

Born in 1980 in North Chicago, Christophe Roberts has a Bahamian father and an American mother. He often cites his mother and aunt, Gloria ward, as one of his earliest influences in the world of art.

Roberts was fascinated by paintings from a very young age as he would often participate in different art programs. His life in Chicago was also influenced by fashion books and graphic novels popular in his neighborhood.

However, he’s not the only one in his family to step foot into the world of art from a young age. His cousin became a choreographer and worked with several renowned performers such as R. Kelly and Heavy D.

Interestingly, Christophe Roberts was also a part of a hip-hop crew in Chicago back in his teens, and that’s where he found his interest in graffiti art, citing Anacron as his role model. His inclination towards multidisciplinary art was a result of viewing a KRS-One concert as an art piece.

Roberts grew immensely during the bloom of hip-hop. Among several things that influenced his approach, the salon culture and music were a few. His fragmentation and use of colors and lines are highly inspired by countercultures. Additionally, his figures and designs portray his personal relationship with capitalism.

After graduating, Roberts briefly sold his modern cubist paintings in local coffee shops and, in some instances, to drug dealers as well. During this time, he also recorded several songs and released an album in the electronic and hip-hop genres.

In 2010, following the success of a few shows, a gallery in New York offered to represent Christophe Roberts. His growing success is what motivated Roberts to create sculptures using Nike shoeboxes. He also happens to be the only artist mentioned on Nike’s official website who works using these materials.

One of the most notable factors about his work, in his own words,  is that the animal figures in his work represent his ambitions and emotions.

After facing an incident in Pilsen, Roberts moved to Harlem, where he designed shirts for numerous famous brands, while also trying to maintain his studio in Brooklyn. Up till now, Roberts’ work has been featured in many culture and lifestyle brands and different art journals. He was also chosen for an award by Nike in 2016 and currently resides in Brooklyn, where he occasionally exhibits his designs, paintings, and sculptures.