‘Free and rebellious women”: In Barcelona, Spain, a feminist mural depicting Gisèle Pelicot was painted over with niqab graffiti; for the artist, this is merely “an expression of hatred towards women”

The artist Mariel Soria, who created the artwork, warns: ‘Whoever they are, they are expressing hatred against women.’

The Ribera neighbourhood in Barcelona woke up with dismay on Thursday. The recently painted feminist mural in Carrer de la Bòria was vandalised in a way that disturbed residents. Under the motto Free, feminist and rebellious, the artist Mariel Soria had painted the portraits of eight women (including Simone de Beauvoir, Maria Aurèlia Campmany, Àngela Davis and Malala Yousafzai) together with a sentence from each of them. This morning, all the faces were covered with an Islamic veil, a niqab to be precise, which covers the entire head except for the eyes and nose, apparently painted on with spray paint.

The news spread through the neighbourhood and by mid-morning, members of the neighbourhood association were already on the scene. ‘We don’t know who did it, but we have to mobilise to condemn it, not as women, but as a neighbourhood, all together,’ said Margarida San Pedro, a member of the women’s committee. Next to her, Josep Maria Seguí warned of the ‘seriousness of the vandalism’. ‘It has worrying political connotations,’ she said, referring to a project in which the women of the association had participated by choosing women and phrases. The act of vandalism coincides with the day that parliament will debate a motion by the Catalan Alliance to ban the wearing of the Islamic veil. Local residents gathered on Thursday afternoon to express their opposition to the graffiti and attempted to remove it with spirit.

El Pais

One of the most significant works was ‘Free and Rebellious Women’, a powerful and iconic mural by artist Mariel Soria. Eight portraits of committed women, historical or contemporary figures, each embody a universal struggle. With care and sensitivity, the artist wanted to celebrate the strength, diversity and resilience of women. The mural reflects the spirit of the times: Gisèle Pelicot had just made the headlines.

Equinox

« Femmes libres et rebelles » : à Barcelone (Espagne), une fresque féministe où figure Gisèle Pelicot a été vandalisée par des graffitis représentant des niqabs ; pour l’artiste, cela « exprime de la haine envers les femmes » – Fdesouche