Constance Strickland

Base Residency Entry Point
Saturday, July 19th

Constance Strickland is an experimental artist, physical anthropologist, and founder of the independent theatre company, Theatre Roscius. Her work blends movement, visual art, and physical playwriting to delve into identity, memory, empathy, and resilience. Since 2013, she has pioneered a distinctive practice that uses the body as a portal for storytelling, investigating how generational trauma, hope, mental health, and historical narratives are etched into physicality. Drawing from her background as a physical dramaturge and history researcher, Strickland explores the intersections of heritage, community, and the human experience, especially concerning women and under-represented communities. 

Strickland is known for her bold and transformative hybrid work that challenges archetypes by exploring themes of femininity, masculinity, and vulnerability within social contexts. Her work, such as This Grief Will Be of Use (Parts I & II) and An Antebellum Theory, which premiered at Art Share L.A., focuses on complex narratives around Black and white women within patriarchal systems, unearthing deep connections to place, memory, and resilience. Her pieces combine experimental movement with anthropological perspectives, presenting the body as a vessel of personal history and a mirror of collective experience. 

Strickland's accomplishments include Chitlin Blues: Dancing in the Grey, which won a Best of Fringe Extension at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, and Dear Nina, her award-winning short film honored at the Women of African Descent Film Festival. Her recent work, Out of the Dark / Into the Light, premiered at the 59th Ann Arbor Film Festival, further solidifying her commitment to experimental movement and narrative depth. Upcoming projects include Medea Refracted: A Mental Health Meditation for a 2026-2027 premiere and And Then They Swallowed Their Pain, a film centered on maternal grief, debuting in Spring 2026.

Her practice has received support from the Los Angeles Department of Culture & Arts Cultural Trailblazer program (2023/2024) and the NEFA Artist Development Grant (2022). Strickland’s collaborative projects include work with artist Dara Friedman, showcased at the Hammer Museum, Kayne Griffin Corcoran Gallery in Los Angeles, and internationally at the Migros Museum in Switzerland. Her dedication to examining cultural and personal narratives positions her as a powerful contributor to public art, bridging communities and fostering empathy through an approach rooted in history, anthropology, and experimental artistry.