I have always had a profound need to express myself which is why being an artist felt like somewhat of a romanticized calling for me. As I got older, art felt safe and inclusionary. This is exactly how I imagined it to be. It wasn’t until I met Bree Gant* and Cyrah Dardas, back in 2016, that I realized being a heterosexual, cisgendered male afforded me the ignorance to believe that everyone’s experience in art was similar to mine. Needless to say—but I’m going to say it anyway—I was wrong.
While it is not a woman’s responsibility to educate me, or anyone else for that matter, these women took their time, invited me into their space and allowed me to experience art from the femme perspective. I had already considered myself a feminist, but here it is where I understood the true meaning of intersectionality. At the time they were operating their Art Babes showcases out of the Detroit Culture Club—which doubled as Cyrah’s home—and provided a space for femme artists to exist. As a man, you never understand how important that truly is until you experience it yourself.
When it was time to relaunch the Drama Club, I knew that I wanted to pay tribute to the two women who have had the most impact on my progression as an artist as of late. I met with Cyrah at The Red Hook Coffee Shop in West Village, Detroit to pitch the idea of Bree and herself being our featured Muse for the month of September. In knowing the type of woman Cyrah is, it was no surprise to me when she declined and offered that we feature the entire Detroit Art Babes collective for our Muse feature instead. With her directive, we booked a room at The Siren Hotel and I did my best to capture the Detroit Art Babes in their truest essence.
