In Mexico, more women are participating in urban art than ever before — but is it enough, too much, or still too little?
The origin of urban art will always depend on how far back you look, starting with cave paintings as an early form of social communication. In the 20th century, the history of street art probably begins with the graffiti of European political protests in the 1930s and ’40s, tags on trains in the 1970s and ’80s, or the advent of murals and urban art festivals, which have given rise to a whole new movement since the early 2000s. More recently, this artistic practice has not only trained hundreds of artists worldwide but has contributed to the evolution of public spaces. Today, there is no way to separate street art from contemporary art, aside from its lack of academic recognition in elite culture.It is also important to highlight that, ever since the Greek polis and the State, public space has been considered masculine, whereas the private sphere is connected to the feminine. This explains why women’s participation in the contemporary art world remains largely unacknowledged, despite their significant role throughout history, specifically in urban art. They are often overlooked and underrepresented in comparison to their male counterparts, even though many women artists have challenged inequality and left their mark on urban art throughout the world at festivals and through public art projects in recent decades. Is such participation the consequence of a collective effort to meet equal participation quotas — and more importantly, is it enough?
Feminism has undoubtedly influenced contemporary art — and consequently, urban art — which highlights the lack of women in leadership roles. Consequently, important movements like the Guerilla Girls developed, which started in 1985 and transformed women’s participation in the arts, from muses for men to creators and protagonists in art history.
Further, artists like Lady Pink, Faith47, Maya Hayuk, Miss Van, Olea, Swoon, Fafi, Hera de Herakut, Paola Delfín, Fusca, Tysa, and News would not have been able to dedicate themselves to public art and muralism during the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s if these feminist artistic movements had not set the standards for street art, graffiti, and public art today. Women’s participation extends beyond the creative domain, including roles in management, curation, museography, and more.
An important fact to consider is that 60% of students in design and art in Mexico City are women, which begs the larger question: Why don’t all these women occupy professional positions in the creative arts and, more specifically, in urban art? The goal of feminism is to increase the visibility of this disparity so that current generations gradually gain access to better opportunities, paving the way for those who follow.
Urban art is the representation and graphic manifestation of rebellion and protest in and of itself, which has its undisputable origin in the social and political issues of the places it occupies. Because of this, different schools of feminism, especially in Mexico, have responded through demonstrations and by wheatpasting messages that demand to be heard, creating visibility in the art world and society more broadly.
Women’s importance in contemporary artistic fields is noticeable since there are ever more projects with bibliographic documentation in which authors write books about women in art, Latin American muralists, and art history from a nonpatriarchal perspective. Although urban art festivals, exhibitions, and projects sometimes incorporate women artists and dissidents in a way that could appear to simply “meet the quota” of 30–40% of participants, Mexican researchers like Cynthia Arvide have stated that it is extremely important to have these quotas because it is the only way towards greater parity, inclusion, and participation. However, there still exists major inequality concerning the pricing of artwork. One clear example of this is Jenny Saville, the top female artist at auction. Saville’s entire oeuvre is estimated at 12.4 million dollars to date. Meanwhile, a single Bansky painting sold for 16 million pounds (almost 20 million dollars). This exemplifies the gender gap in valuation, regardless of any differentiation in style, professional path, or representation in the market between the two artists.
Additionally, there are some critical obstacles in the way of women’s professional development in the field of urban art. For instance, women need safe spaces to work, which are not a given on the streets. Nor is there much economic support for women, who are often mothers or caretakers responsible for their families. To achieve professional equity, there needs to be professional support for women in the arts and other areas. Also, men need to contribute to the development of safe spaces and better pay. Only this way will women be able to work freely in the art world.
These factors are crucial when determining the value of pieces by women and men. In this historical moment, quotas are essential for giving women visibility in the arts, including urban art, and reducing the gender disparity in the art market.
09/2023