Women & Street Art
First published in Streetartnews by Shahad Bishara
One woman creating quite a stir in the scene is Shamsia Hassani, an Afghan graffiti artist and teacher at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Kabul University. Her works often depicts women in burqas, usually painted blue and feminine-like, or fish. The 24- year-old artist is considered to be her country’s first graffiti artist, which is a significant achievement considering its strict views on gender roles. Shamsia has also collaborated with L.A. street artist El Mac on a mural entitled Birds of No Nation for the 7th Asia Pacific Triennial in Australia.
Another young Afghan graffiti artist also making waves is Malina Suliman. Her signature subject is a blue burqa-clad skeleton, a metaphor for the oppression of Afghani women. The 23-year-old artist has received threats and attacks from the Taliban because of her work. She currently resides in Mumbai, India.