But we at Art Fix want to send a clear message: by no means does this mean girls cannot tag, or paint. In fact, this part of the contemporary art world is becoming more and more populated by the female artist’s voice. Let Art Fix introduce you to some female artists who embody the truth that street art success is not determined by gender. In this story, meet some of our favorite female street artists and explore a selection of our favourite female-led street art Instagrams.
LADY AIKO
Female street artists aren’t just blurring the lines of gender stereotypes, they’re also symbols of cultural mélanges. Aiko Nakagawa is a Japanese street artist known for combining western art themes with eastern technical artistic skills. Her work is fun, colourful and, yes, subversively feminine. A little ‘Fix’: Lady Aiko was an apprentice at the studio of legendary Takashi Murakami, and followed in her role-model’s footsteps by designing limited edition items, such as scarves for the luxury brand Louis Vuitton. She also collaborated with Banksy for his film “Exit Through The Gift Shop”, which you might remember from our first episode. @ladyaiko
MADC
This German artist, whose full name is Claudia Walde, began as a graffiti artist 22 years ago, and is now a well-known street artist who spray paints on many commissioned murals all over the world. “I paint with my heart and soul, not with my head”, she says. Her inspirations are derived from graffiti subculture, lettering, and the powerful physical movements performed while painting a wall. @mad_c1
SWOON
Caledonia Curry, whose work appears under the name “Swoon”, is a Brooklyn-based artist. During her time at the Pratt Institute of Art, where she was studying classical painting education, she ventured beyond the classroom walls, taking to the streets. Here she pasted her paper portraits on the sides of buildings with the aim to make art and the city’s public spaces more accessible. As a result, Swoon became integral to the new wave of street artists committed to stretching out the form and finding new ideas within the context of traditional street artists, much like the works of JR & Banksy. @swoon
INDIE184
Soraya Marquez — aka Indie184 on Instagram — is a New Yorker from Dominican descent. Her style reflects classic New York feminine graffiti, infused with bold colours , bursting with hearts, stars, and bubbles. On top of creating physical works, she has partnered with various brands, including W Hotels and Rimmel London. @indie184
MAYA HAYUK
This American artist embodies the nexus of street artistry and feminism. Her geometric, wildly-patterned, massively-scaled murals recall views of outer space, traditional Ukrainian crafts, airbrushed manicures, and mandalas. Most importantly, she’s a feminist —known for her outspoken stance, she will not work with galleries whose exhibitions feature less than 10% female artists. At Art Fix we both admire and respect that decision! @mayahayuk
ZABOU
‘Ain’t No Stopping’ the street artist Zabou. French by origin but based in London, Zabou works mostly with spray paint and creates large-scale black and white portraits with a focus on the expressions and emotions of her subjects. Her mission is to make the world a more colourful place, one wall at a time. In November 2020, Saatchi Gallery will host her first solo show, so keep an eye out for our “In Real Life – Fall edition” if you’re in London. @zabouartist
