Resistance to violence against women on Spanish walls

Abstract

Drawing upon visual ethnographic research carried out in two Spanish cities between 2015 and 2018, this visual essay explores the ability of street art to speak about violence against women. Posters, wall writings and stencils represent both visual communication and political expression that can give an insight into this gender-based phenomenon. Street art pieces are linked to broader social contexts. The photographs and discourse analysis of the street art presented in this essay pay attention to the specific contexts of Spanish society and investigate the social spaces in which street art pieces are embedded. The author offers a critical perspective on assumptions regarding the gendered construction of public space and reflections on street-level visual resistance about violence against women in Madrid and Valencia.