‘They don’t want to give power to girls’: the women shaking up Colombia’s graffiti scene

In the once war-torn suburb of Medellín, murals draw thousands of tourists a day. Now a group of female artists is challenging the male grip on street art, one wall at a time

A drug-smuggling route runs straight through the Comuna 13 neighbourhood on the outskirts of Medellín, which was once one of the most dangerous places in Colombia. Over the past decade it has been transformed, and is now better known for its colourful murals than for gang warfare.

Graffiti tours of the neighbourhood now attract 20,000 tourists every day. With them comes a renewed sense of purpose for those growing up in the aftermath of Colombia’s civil conflict. But the gains from graffiti tourism have benefited some more than others: almost all of the artists are men.

The Comuna 13 neighbourhood on the outskirts of Medellín has become a tourist hotspot because of the murals and hip-hop culture Continue reading...


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