Vetiver

Vetiver (Vonne Napper) (b. 1989) is a Washington, DC-based transdisciplinary artist, facilitator, educator, printmaker, and land steward. Their practice centers on preserving Black queer & trans identities & narratives and promoting spiritual wellness. Identifying as nonbinary & trans-masculine, Vetiver pulls from their lived experience to highlight the challenges of existing at a particularly targeted intersection in society, and employs their ancestry and relationship with nature to establish connections between the communities to which they belong.

While pursuing their Community Arts MFA at Maryland Institute College of Art, Vetiver developed the first arts-based program for middle school students, The Roundhouse Connection, during residency at the B&O Railroad Museum. In 2024, they were one of two resident artists in the Joshua Johnson Council x Maryland Institute College of Art x Baltimore Museum of Art Artist-in-Residence program, where they created the first iteration of their living archive for the Black queer and trans community, featuring linocut portraits and transcribed interviews. In addition to exhibiting works throughout Baltimore City and Washington, DC, they currently steward Blue Light Junction, a natural dye initiative, as Garden Coordinator, where they study the spiritual benefits and interdependence of plants and the cultural significance and heritage of working with natural dyes, and are among the Community Arts MFA faculty. As co-steward of Lacy Oasis, Black family-owned land in Owings, MD (Piscataway Territory), they facilitate intergenerational arts-based programming that encourages reflection, self-preservation, self-expression, and a deeper connection with nature.

Artist Statement

My art practice is a tool for spiritual healing and explores the connection between plant biodiversity and gender and identity, with a focus on the lived experiences of the Black queer and trans community. There are overlapping qualities that, when critically analyzed, provide an opportunity to shift the way we view our differences within our society, while respecting and honoring the way they inform our collective existence. By incorporating the spiritual symbolism of plants and representational imagery of Black queer and trans people, I emphasize the inherent power of our multiplicities.

Since my early years of experimenting with various art mediums, before I knew what they were, I exhibited great intent and a serious enthusiasm for my creative pursuits. My willingness to learn new skills came early in life, and the need to connect it to something bigger than myself came later as I began to do more work with the community. While working at the intersection of all of the communities I’ve found myself to be a part of - black, nonbinary, queer, trans - I establish more connections (personal and spiritual) and greater understanding between myself, the world, and the roles we all play in the lives of each other. Because of the impactful and transformative nature of art, I immerse myself in the deep waters of every medium. I am unapologetic in my approach and have complete faith in the support of my ancestors as I journey toward wholeness. I embrace the ebb and flow of uncertainty and allow transformation to take the lead.

When it comes to creating art, the process is very evolving. I tend to start work from one perspective, utilizing surrealism and minimalism in my approach. As I become changed during the alchemical process of creating, the resulting viewpoint of an artwork is a network of concepts. More often than not, my pieces possess notions of metaphysicality in nature and in human life. For this reason, I create art that makes the viewer question all ideas surrounding life itself, especially in terms of new ways of relating to others. By approaching my art practice with this intention, I create more balance and understanding in the world.