APA Scope - Conversation with Jigisha Bouverat

Monday, October 10, 2022

4 pm Pacific / 6 pm Central / 7 pm Eastern

Host: Martine Severin | Edwin Vargas

Focus: A conversation with photographer representative, Jigisha Bouverat discussing representation and diversity in the photo industry. 

Jigisha Bouverat, owner at Bouverat Collective, brings a distinct level of experience and perspective from many sides of the industry. Before she became an agent, she was the Director of Art Production at TBWA\Chiat\Day. During her 18+ years at the agency, she managed and mentored teams of Art Producers responsible for revolutionizing the creative and business practices in the industry. Jigisha worked with a diverse roster of emerging and established creators to produce some of the most memorable and celebrated advertising campaigns. 

Bouverat Collective emerged from a belief Jigisha developed over the course of her career -- that representing globally diverse artists was important and necessary. To Jigisha, representation is more than a business relationship. It's a personal commitment and partnership that nurtures the development of each artist's creativity and culture. 

Jigisha is also the co-founder of KOMYOON. A service committed to connecting art and commerce professionals.

Martine Séverin – Photographer Martine Séverin leads APA's working group on developing and implementing diversity and inclusion initiatives. She is a lifestyle + advertising photographer based in Chicago and Los Angeles, with Chicago being her primary hub.

Her vibrant style, imbued by a love of color and diversity, has been shaped by her Haitian roots and her passion for celebrating inclusivity through the use of non-western narratives. It is this passion that drives Martine to seek out and create work that features people of color and women in non-stereotypical ways. Where possible, she also makes social causes a part of her work by collaborating with companies that are advancing the lives of others.

Edwin Vargas – Now based in Oakland, California, Vargas’ vivid, chromatic aesthetic has captured the attention of the local community, earning him exhibitions at Instagram headquarters and the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. In addition to his photography, Vargas is a cinematographer and documentarian, applying his unique perspective to the moving image. Beyond his work behind the lens, Vargas is focused on the empowerment of Black women and the advancement of LGBTQIA+ rights, serving as a diversity committee member for the non-profit organization American Photographic Artists.