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Collage, dream interpretation and an interest in exploring social and political power structures are central to Trudy Leigh Bryant's art practice.
Trudy-Leigh has spent her life trying to deal with the idea that men have the freedom to express themselves sexually and not be condemned, while a double standard exists for women who behave the same way.
Whether we are "strippers," "mendogs," or another archetype of human behavior, we are affected by power structures, which are created for us. Who has the power in our society? The strippers or the mendogs?
These questions become more complex when a woman chooses to expose her body as a career. Strippers are sometimes labeled as "whores" within a culture where right and wrong can be unclear. There are as many reasons as there are people as to what a person seeks to gain from entering a strip club; and this stretches further to affect interpersonal relationships between the men and the "real women" in their life.
When Trudy-Leigh's daughter became a stripper, her thinking about strippers and men-dogs was taken to an entirely new level.
We have dealt with these ideas differently through the generations. Ms. Bryant watches these changes unfold and expresses her exploration through collaged art works.
Collage has always been a central element to her practice. Weaving and piecing together elements to tell a story is evident through Trudy-Leigh's quilting, basketry and cut-paper works.
She had been involved in dream interpretation for over 20 years when she had one particular dream, which set her on her current creative path.
In this dream, a well-dressed, sophisticated lady was walking down Manhattan Avenue, with 3 naked men who were on their hands and knees like dogs. This elegant lady walked confidently with the leashed "men-dogs."
Trudy-Leigh had to immediately create her first large-scale collage work called "mendogs." Next she created " someones dancer" based upon her poem about her daughter's exotic dancing experience. These first two works flowed from her, almost as if she wasn't consciously involved in the process.
Her present work has evolved from there and continues today.







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