Alexander Charriol: ‘I don’t agree with anything the art world does’

MANILA, Philippines - Artist Alexander Charriol seems to have been caught in the middle of several things for nearly his entire life. As the son of Philippe and Marie-Olga Charriol — yes, of the famed luxury jewelry company — he is torn between pursuing his life’s work as an artist and continuing the family legacy. As an active member of the art world, he finds himself disagreeing with many of the art world’s practices, yet still participates because, as he says, he needs to eat. When it comes to his own art, there also seems to be a degree of contradiction: His most famous work, the “Human Flow” series, promotes the message of touch being an integral, yet disappearing, element of human communication and yet, like most artists, Alexander spends several weeks in solitude, devoid of any human interaction, just to create his art.

PHILIPPINE STAR: When you turned 30, people said that you were using art to revolt against your fate, which was to join the family business.

Alexander CHARRIOL: Not to revolt; it never helped my situation to be from a luxury company. Most people know my background, so are they eager to give me money? No, not as eager to give the guy from Brooklyn with no money, who came from like a broken home that does great art, as well. People tend to have more judgment on me: “He’s just doing this because he’s lazy.” It’s been tough that way and I have to really prove myself and stay true to myself and persevere and keep painting so no one can say anything. I’m still doing what I said I would do 10 years ago, so credit me a little bit.

What made you decide to become involved?

Well, I got kicked out of my apartment in New York because I was a crazy man and I kind of hit rock bottom, so the best decision was to have a fresh start somewhere else. It’s tough to manage two: one’s very free and the other’s corporate. It’s like I have two hats and it’s very hard to give myself fully to one hat. On one hand, they want me to take over the family business. On the other, they keep saying to not stop my art, so they’re saying both things, depending on the day. It’s a never-ending story, so I’m blessed to do both and I’ll try to do both.

Do you collect other artists?

No, I’m not rich enough. Life’s expensive. I’d like to, but when I have excess cash. Art is a luxury, it’s only for rich people straight-up. Art should be enjoyed by everybody. I think everyone who buys these ridiculous amounts of items shouldn’t keep them, but share them.

But are there particular artists that you’d like to collect?

Honestly, artist names aren’t my thing. I particularly don’t remember their names because it’s so complicated and I just don’t see the point. What I like is knowing the process of how they got there as an artist. The end could be anything because you can stop at any point. I like art, but I love the process and I love to get into someone’s mind, to go look into their studio as opposed to go looking at their work. If I go to a gallery I’m dead bored, I’d rather stay home and watch a movie.

So you don’t agree with the way the art world presents and curates an artist’s work?

I don’t agree with anything the art world does. The job of the art world is to show, not to keep people out. They make it such an intimidating place that people are afraid to go in and just venture, free their minds. They don’t even know how to understand the arts; it’s only for a couple of people to have a good laugh. So there needs to be a lot more education about what art is, contemporary art, how it’s seen. I mean that’s one of my goals: to let the mass of people know how to look at art.

So what do you think about the democratization of art? Combining fashion and art is very popular these days.

I think art and fashion have to go hand-in-hand and are going hand-in-hand more and more. I think the influences of art trickle down into fashion as far as exploiting the art. That’s what happens when you get famous: you exploit it. You come up with one idea, which gets picked up by Vogue and it propels to fashion, then you become famous, then you disappear. But with art, you’ve just got to take your time and be patient. Don’t lose your self-confidence because that’s all you’ve got as an artist. You’ve got to be determined, you’ve got to believe in yourself and you got to be self-motivating and you got to go back to being number two and believing in yourself.

So if a big opportunity comes around like that, would you turn it down?

No, because I need to eat and in today’s world any opportunity is a good opportunity for anything. There’s too many eyes, too many things, not enough chances. Unless you’re a genius and you have the right to choose, but in most cases in life you don’t, so I have no choice but to take what is given in the perimeters of what I believe. But to sell myself for art, sure. Only in a respectable manner, not something super cheesy. Something that will bring back to me in a positive way and not in a negative way.

And what is the process of your art, specifically “Human Flow”?

It’s very solitary. It all started when I was living in California, in the hills. I just moved from New York, I was completely isolated. I was very lonely, I lost my friends, I lost everything, I was in a house with a beautiful view but no one around, so I got very lonely and then so I started painting a lot of people. I reminisced over my days in New York and all these people, which goes around, flowing, so I kind of evolved from there.

Today, I have a studio in Bangkok and in New York. So I have two studios and an office and I do go back and forth between the two. I do enjoy painting in Bangkok because it’s just me, there’s nobody, there’s no distractions, phone calls. I wake up, paint all day, then go to bed and that’s priceless not even to step out to go have lunch.

Though it’s your second time to show in Manila, it’ll be the first time to show “Human Flow.” How do you feel about exhibiting the series, considering Typhoon Haiyan swept through the country two months ago?

Yes, absolutely. I didn’t see it that way, but I’m glad that you pointed it out because I see “Human Flow” as a condition that is daily; it’s not when something bad happens. I think “Human Flow” to me is something that everyone strives to do daily: to communicate, to connect, to feel that you belong somewhere. So every day when you wake up, you need to be connected to something and we are all addicted and connected to our phones. We’re not getting that honest human connection — we’re getting that miles-away connection. There’s no touch; we cannot survive without touch, without being connected. 

It’s a 10-year gap and I can really go back and see my evolution and be there with the people that were first there when I started. I am very honored to be asked to do a show where Filipino artists are celebrated. The Philippines has always been dear to my heart and I feel very honored so I hope I can give something that they can enjoy.

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Alexander Charriol’s “Human Flow” exhibit will open on May 22, 6 p.m., at Altromondo Arte Contemporanea, third floor,  Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City. The show is on view until June 6. For information, call 501-3270 to 71 or 0917-890-8606.