“Women & Street Art in the Middle East” is an article by StreetArtNews contributing writer Shahad Bishara, Shahad is currently based in the Middle East and regularly reports on Street Art in the region.
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.
It’s interesting to note that both Afghan artists chose to depict the same subjects in the similar color palettes, but expressed them in different ways. Shamshia’s burqa women are represented in a more positive light, while Malina opted for a darker portrayal of women in Afghan society. Saudia Arabia is another unlikely country to see women expressing their creativity on the streets. In comes Sarah Al Abdali, a 22-year-old woman branded as one of Saudi’s first street artists. Sarah first came into the scene with her stencils, which were placed around Jeddah commenting on the urbanization of the holy city of Mecca.
Since the Arab spring began in Egypt a few years ago, revolution graffiti has taken the country by storm. Women have also begun to partake in this creative movement, many through the group Women on Walls (WOW). The project, founded by Swedish author Mia Grondahl and women’s activist Angie Balata, aims to empower Egyptian women through graffiti. So far the group includes around 12 women who have been given a voice to express positive interpretations of women in their communities. The development of the graffiti scene in the Middle East to include women, in even the most conservative countries, is a positive indication of its change. It will be interesting to see the new influences females will bring to the streets in the coming years. Check back soon for more extensive reviews on the street art scene in the Middle East.
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