Women Muralists: When Talent Takes Over the Streets

Many times, we pass by streets that seem beautiful to us. This can happen because of different elements, among which are various cultural manifestations, such as paintings. Although one begins to get used to the murals on the streets, the truth is that we do not always think about who is behind each work of art.

The truth is that many of the best works around the world have been made by women. That is those murals that not only have a striking aesthetic work but also express opinions. Therefore, we invite you to discover some of the women muralists who have made very interesting artworks.

Mariela Ajras

Here we meet an Argentinean artist. Psychologist and muralist, she is one of the founders of the group "Somos Muchas" (We Are Many), which was born with the aim of fighting for gender parity in public art throughout the country, as they were spaces where, historically, men predominated.

In an interview with Marie Claire, she explains that she always thought she was "a woman in a man's land." These prejudices are latent when one thinks that, because she is a woman, she is an "assistant" or the partner of a man. That is to say, she would believe that her work would not be valued for her own sake until she began to notice that her artistic manifestation could look very good on the streets.

Mariela seeks self-exploration, with the objective of elaborating visual metaphors for the transmission of love, joy, and sensuality. Her brush not only stayed in Argentina, but she also made artistic manifestations in Mexico, Spain, and the United States. In the latter, she attended the Hawaii Public Art Congress, where she left her clearly feminist mark.

Eva Bracamontes

Born in Veracruz, Mexico, she is one of the most talented female muralists of the current generation. Eva considers herself a "street illustrator," but she does not like to call herself a muralist, as she feels, due to her shyness, that she cannot be part of such an important historical movement as Mexican muralism.

She studied Design and Visual Communication at the Faculty of Arts and Design at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and specialized in Illustration. Later, she specialized in a master's degree that focuses on intervention in street environments, especially with a Latin focus on female empowerment, with self-confident women.

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She is characterized by offering works where color and tropical waves are present, almost always portraying women. The Mexican imprint is very present in her works, as she is deeply rooted in her country, its cultures, and traditions. Undoubtedly, a very talented artist that will make you know more about Mexico.

Gleo

Colombia is another Latin American land where there is great muralist work. The young artist Nathalia Gallego, better known as Gleo, was born in the city of Cali. She is an artist with a strong bond with nature, as her murals express humanity as part "of a whole," in harmony with the planet. 

With surrealistic tones, Gleo's images show men and women wearing masks. Lines and eyes are one of his most iconic marks, as in all his artistic expressions one can see people with yellowish eyes, which have a strong association with the elements of the planet (air, fire, earth, and water), in addition to the ancestral figures of the first creations.

Lily Brik

Here we move to Catalonia. Unlike the previous ones, her work is much closer to visual poetry. She started working in advertising graphic design, but then she was encouraged to street art, to the point of being called to participate in the Graffiti Without Gravity contest of the Space Agency of Europe.

This artist is dedicated to cover parts of the buildings of the counties of Lleida, with works that represent the figures of women, which are shown strong, tender, and melancholic. Many of her works come from art nouveau, which is the modernism of the belle époque in France, and she is strongly committed to female empowerment through the play between light and shadow.

As you can see, there are many women who are dedicated to expressing their talents in the streets through great murals. We hope many of them have enchanted you!