SMASH THE PATRIARCHY

This weeks artwork wasn’t as easy to get done as I’d thought. In fact the first time I went out to paint it, I completely miscalculated the time and went too early. It’s in a really unloved and hyper-masculine space, one could say its quite a toxic masculine space. The mark-making in this particular tunnel feels very aggressive to me. It’s territorial, some political and some writing (logo name writing). There were ghost-like wailing skulls and some angry scrawls- basically a fixer upper if ever I saw a space…

I got super prepared, as I always do when I’m going out at night. There’s zero light at the location, but my partner (in crime) has a good one. The tunnel was damp and unfortunately, there were a lot of people passing, as well as cars. Ideally, for this kind of thing I would say definitely I should have gone after midnight, but when one car stopped and began taking photos of me I thought it would be best to call it a night. The thing is, the fact that women feel they need a chaperone at night, does make it hard for them to go forth and create street art unless it’s legal and can be done during the day.

This is sadly male privilege in action, but the type of thing that you probably wouldn’t even think of if you are a man, but most women I have interviewed about this, tend to find that the criminality of the idea, having children and potential of being raped are pretty big inhibitors to night -time mark-making. This explains why the street-art scene does still feel predominately masculine.

I’m not averse to getting caught mark-making and if I had to take some kind of punishment I would. But I do feel what I am doing is redressing the balance a little. Men and boys appear to give themselves more permissions to paint in these spaces than women do and as such it feels hyper-masculine to me. I do know that women go out to paint to but its approx only 10%.

A merry group of 2 women and one older man, were very happy and pleased with my artwork addition, saying, that it was lovely and a contrast to the other stuff they see along here. That’s the thing some people really get it and are encouraging too!

I cannot tell you the location of this piece as its technically unauthorised, which is amusing for a Government endorsed street-artist …I do like the irony in that!

I am rather pleased with this whole concept its 4.5m X 3m approx. My artwork is a touch of irony. The Bluebirds are those that brought Cinderella her apron, this time they bring her a banner forcing her to abandon all need to do housework or go to the ball the scene in the film is here: