Walls for Peace and Freedom

I have been a feminist all my life. I wasn’t aware of it until I was reaching my twenties and when I started to become more passionate and active about the topic. Without even realizing it, I began to naturally link feminism to most of the things I would see and do. Not to mention that my job within the past few years has been working in a feminist organization that advances women and girls’ rights and leadership worldwide.

Another thing I can say for a fact is that I love art. I enjoy listening and dancing to music (occasionally singing too), I love contemplating paintings and photographs in galleries, scenic arts, I absolutely love getting my mind blown discovering other expressions of art that I was not familiar with and I have become particularly attentive to street art wherever I go.

On this last note, I have gained a special interest in art conveying feminists’ messages or that at least from my point of view, encourage a dialogue between the viewer and the artwork throughout the inclusion of a woman’s perspective. I strongly believe that street art can often succeed in inciting the viewer to question a political and/or social landscape, and through this reflection, contribute to bringing change to the world.

In the last year and a half of my life, I’ve had the opportunity to visit countries I used to only visit in my dreams. Here is a small compilation of street art pieces that I had the pleasure to see and of course, a small bonus of some of the great work done in my homeland, Honduras.

Alma Feminina or Feminine Soul. Stencil technique on a wall of Alfama, the oldest district of Lisbon, Portugal.

A piece by Julien Malland aka Seth. His work demonstrates a deep understanding of cultures, places that breathe, memories, and diversity, creating a conduit between different realities. I took this picture inside of a Subway station in Rome, Italy.

Alice Pasquini is very well-known for her street art and paintings that narrate feminine vitality. This mural is in Berlin, Germany. Unfortunately, last time I saw it, there was some graffiti painted on top of a part of the design.

“Real Coffee, not capitalism in a capsule” in Lyon, France

Bulgarian artist Viktoria Georgieva aka Mouse, symbolizing oppression and questioning freedom with this mural in Veliko Tarnovo, a city in north central Bulgaria. FYI, this city has street art in every corner!

Portrait of Berta Cáceres, a Honduran environmental activist and indigenous leader who was assassinated in her home by armed intruders, after years of threats against her life. This is one of the many statements that the brilliant artist Maeztro Urbano has created in the streets of Tegucigalpa, to send a bold message against violence in the country.

This is one of my personal favorites! Created by Andrea Fonseca, a feminist artist and activist from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Her message with this piece: Más Besos, Menos Balas / More Kisses, Less Bullets.

El DERECHO a decidir es MÍO/ The RIGHT to decide is MINE in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. One of the very few countries in Latin America where the emergency contraceptive pill is illegal.

Though there are many artists out there, I hope this small personal compilation gives you a glimpse of how street art may challenge ways of thinking and/or empower them. This is an open invitation for you to take a few minutes to look closely at the streets and walls. No doubt you might be surprised by what they are trying to tell you.

Learn more about the artists and take a look at their work and projects here:

Julien Malland aka Seth: http://seth.fr/en/

Alice Pasquini: http://www.alicepasquini.com/

Viktoria Georgieva aka Mouse: https://vimeo.com/mishkathemouse

Maeztro Urbano: http://maeztrourbano.com/

Andrea Fonseca: https://society6.com/andreafonseca

BONUS! Here’s a short documentary on feminists artists doing street art in Honduras to advocate for legalising the emergency contraceptive pill: