Dialogue Talk is a digital encyclopedia and archive of the thoughts, ideas, and perspectives of extraordinary global figures within the arts and humanities. They interview writers, philosophers, artists, and composers, but this time we flipped the switch and spoke about creativity, inspiration, moral conundrums and expectations with DT’s Executive Director and Founder, Chivas DeVinck.

What is Dialogue Talk?
Dialogue Talk is a nonprofit arts and culture organization that I conceived of in early 2012 under the inspiration of total boredom and frustration with the media. Who and what the media found relevant I frankly found pathetic, so instead of bitching about it over some drinks with a friend, which I had been doing for almost all of my twenties, I finally took the initiative to search out my own content. Six months later I would find myself in Crow Agency, Montana interviewing the late Joseph Medicine Crow.

Now, four years later, we’ve conducted over 60 interviews with inspiring individuals from around the globe that our audience can either choose to read and/or listen to on our website at dialoguetalk.org. We’re also beginning production on our first feature-length documentary.

As for the future, it’s our goal (nonprofits like to call goals “missions”) to continue to use Dialogue Talk as an outlet for artists and thinkers from around the world to share their ideas and perspectives.

What inspires you?
Integrity, Larry David, The Life and Miracles of Saint Godelieve at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, cigars, the Chums of Chance, Robert Smithson, surrealism, Juan Manuel Márquez, carbonara, Will Oldham, the New York Mets, Claire Denis, de Selby, Tokyo and people who fail, a lot.

Creativity is…
Depending on the day and the mood that I am in I could probably give you infinite different fill-ins on what creativity is. Today I’m feeling unqualified to answer.

Can you tell us a bit about The Poets?
The Poets is a feature-length documentary that we are beginning production on about Syl Cheney-Coker and Niyi Osundare, two brilliant individuals whose poetry and writing have meant a lot to me and many others. A small crew and I will be traveling with Syl and Niyi to their respective homes of Sierra Leone and Nigeria to tell the story of their lives, friendship and art. Though there hasn’t been too many films made about African poets – yet, I’m confident that this little film will demolish all of its competition in the box office causing the big studios to scramble and manufacture stories based on characters with authenticity.

What are your expectations for your adventures in Sierra Leone and Nigeria?
I honestly don’t know what to expect. To me, this is the reason to make a film.

Saying that, I do take comfort in knowing that I will be in the company of Syl and Niyi whose generosity and kindness has given me all of the confidence to overcome any challenges a camera lens or computer software can throw at me.

If you could make one thing universally understood, what would that be?
This question deserves a lot of psychoanalyzing. The first thing that it does is it puts 100% trust in the beholder. For example, if I was a horrible human being I could give the most repulsive answer to this question. Luckily, for myself, family, friends, and society as a whole, I’m not. Then there’s the option of doing the right thing. But this is a moral conundrum. WWJD? Aren’t you supposed to decline the genie in the bottle?