Photo by Na Forest Lim
Cyrah Dardas is a Queer, eco-feminist artist and care worker living in Detroit /Waawiyaatanong, Anishinaabe territory. Cyrah uses her art practice as a tool in remembering the lost relationships between humans and non-human beings because of the extractive nature of capitalism by regulating and healing our collective body to restore interdependency. Their work is informed by their experiences in childcare, gardening, as a member of an artist cooperative, Portal For and through their work with natural fibers, earth pigments, and botanical inks. Their practice is deeply rooted in ritualized art making, using the process as well as the work itself as a tool for grief composition, and collective healing.
“ I have been really enchanted by learning how to make dyes and paint. I think I find it interesting because it feels like a form of interspecies collaboration. I am interested in the ways that folks integrate elements of Place or the landscape and ecosystem into their art making practice, and how those artifacts become a reflection of the ecology they are made from. I really wanted to learn those processes and pull from histories of people making in this way, so I began researching ancient paint and dye making techniques and just immersing myself in the practice. In connection to this, I cultivated a growing practice that included some dye plants as well as many edible and pollinator plants. Gardening, foraging and exploring in this way has taught me so much about play, interdependency, and reciprocity. ”