About

Vanessa Charlot is an award-winning photographic artist, filmmaker, and Assistant Professor of Media and Communication at the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media. Her work transcends traditional boundaries, blending documentary photography, filmmaking, and interdisciplinary research to explore the complex intersectionality of race, politics, culture, and gender. Charlot's artistic practice intertwined with the exploration of Black life, compelling viewers to confront and reimagine the often distorted narratives that shape perceptions of Black bodies. Drawing from Saidiya Hartman's "critical fabulation," Charlot uses her art to weave together history, memory, and imagination, disrupting conventional notions of objectivity and neutrality in visual storytelling. Her projects are both intimate and politically resonant, serving as acts of reclamation and reframing that aim to restore and recontextualize the histories and legacies of her subjects. Through her lens, Charlot engages in a form of storytelling that challenges boundaries, giving voice to the untold and overlooked.

Her photographs and films have garnered international acclaim, with works commissioned by The New York Times, Gucci, Vogue, Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, Oprah Magazine, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Apple, New York Magazine, Buzzfeed, Artnet News, and The Washington Post, among others. In November 2022, Charlot's work graced the cover of The Washington Post’s Photo Issue, further cementing her influence in contemporary visual culture. Charlot’s career spans the U.S., the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia, where she has not only documented diverse experiences but also provided holistic safety training to leading media outlets. Her dedication to the craft and the community was recognized with the International Women's Media Foundation Courage in Journalism Award in 2021, underscoring her commitment to storytelling that is as courageous as it is compassionate.

Commissions/Inquiries: vcharlot1@gmail.com