In May 2018, urban art advocate Rebobinart launched its Womart initiative with intentions to promote the visibility of women in this particular field and the entire artistic industry at large. By offering ten different female artists of widely varying styles the opportunity to participate in artistic “interventions” in ten different Catalan cities, Womart seeks to aid in shattering the ubiquitous glass ceiling that inexplicably continues to separate these artists from their male peers.
Womart showcases these artists’ work through both murals and art installations. The initiative’s true strength lies in the wide variety of talent it showcases. Styles range from geometric, as seen in the works of Ovni and Elbi Elem to impressionistic with a touch of romanticism, as seen by Paula Bonet. Meanwhile, BTOY seems to blend elements of these two styles in her piece, while Hyuro blends politics and surrealist sensibility into dreamlike compositions. Minuskula provides an illustrative piece that capitalizes on the power of movement as portrayed through still images. Lula Goce toes the line between realistic and romantic with her lifelike portrait adorned with flowers. The installations add another dimension to the diverse works presented through Womart. Mónika Rikic harnesses video’s capabilities, while Aïda Gomez explores physical, public installations in a manner that harkens back to previous works completed by the infamous Christo.
As women across industry lines continue to be granted the prestige and autonomy they properly deserve, this progress can cause us to easily lose sight of the strides yet to be taken. Suppression of female art has deep-seated roots. Attitudes of blind indifference are evident throughout our past, both in comments made regarding women’s stature in society and the essential education made available to them. Furthermore, women have historically been pigeonholed into passive roles within the arts as solely muses and models. Womart aims to assist in allowing women to take the more active role that they rightfully deserve.
Rebobinart’s website cites specific figures supporting this claim. Of the urban artists registered on Wallspot, only 4% are women. The organization’s explanation for this startling statistic lies in the origins of graffiti. According to E. Gentry as cited by Rebobinart, “the substrate of graffiti is based on crime and the implicit danger of practice, factors that are common to many subcultures that revolve around the reinforcement of masculinity.” The organization continues to cite from this author, explaining, “the city, then, becomes the place of exploration of masculinity through artistic practice.” This evidence provides a basic insight into how such a disparity came to be in the first place.
About Rebobinart
The Rebobinart Association came to fruition in 2012, “under a clear social philosophy that puts urban art at the service of the social and cultural dynamization of public space.” The organization tasks itself with the goal of removing stigma from this art form, often superficially viewed as vandalism, in order to capitalize on the potential positive impact it can have on society. In doing so, The Rebobinart Association believes in “fostering the critical spirit and transmitting messages of a social nature in each of the projects.” With their latest Womanart initiative, an endeavor expected to continue into the future, they achieve this goal not only through the women they are promoting, but more importantly, through the deep commentary provided by these uniquely talented artists, each in their own utterly individual manner.
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