11 Latinas Slaying the Muralist Art Scene in Latin America
Since Diego Rivera’s heyday, the muralismo game has mainly been dominated by men. It’s seldom that we hear of female artists painting the walls of Latin America – but they’re out there. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most badass Latina street artists in Latin America, ranging from Mexico to Colombia to Panama and beyond.
Bety Avila
Mexico
Credit: @betyavila_ / Instagram
Avila’s murales are easy to spot. Her signature style distinguishes her from the rest. Large-scale black-and-white portraits created with ultra fine brush strokes can be see on walls all over Mexico.
Martanoemi Noriega
Panama
Credit: @martanoemi.n / Instagram
Hailing from Panama City, Noriega is one of the country’s most chingona grafiteras. Her murals range from the very political to comical and colorful. “The theme of doing art in public spaces is like an extreme sport. The setting isn’t controlled, like a gallery or in the theater… In the street, nothing is safe, and that’s the richness of the scenario,” she told Vía Plural.
Janín Nuz
Mexico
Credit: janinuz / Facebook
Originally from San Luis Potosí, Nuz first got her hands on a bottle of aerosol when she was only 19. Femininity is the focal point of her work, and her large-scale murals typically feature portraits of women.
Zurik
Colombia
Credit: zurik / Facebook
Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Zurik has carted her aerosol bottles all over the world. Her loud and surrealist murals can be found in countries such as Australia, Italy, Denmark, and Spain.
Luna Portnoi
Argentina
Credit: lunaportnoi / Facebook
Based in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Portnoi’s murals often feature rainbow-like elements. Her work is very reminiscent of the ’90s spirograph drawing toy.
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Dionicia Pegu
Mexico
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Credit: @dionicia_pegu / Instagram
Dionicia Pegu is a muralist based in Mexico City. She studied art in the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and since then has been covering the streets of Mexico with her highly detailed and mystical paintings.
Ananda Nahu
Brazil
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Credit: @anandanahu / Instagram
Nahu is from Bahia, Brazil, but her work can be found all over the Bronx and Brooklyn in New York, where she has lead mural painting workshops for youth.
Meki
Peru
Nadando en el mar ! Foto : @mira_a_mire @monumentalcallao
A photo posted by Meki ???????? (@mekilu) on
Credit: @mekilu / Instagram
Meki’s main inspiration is cats and dogs, making it easy to spot her obras in her hometown of Lima, Perú.
Maria Antonieta Canfield
Mexico
#streetart #tepito #murals #mexico #love #ramos
A photo posted by Maria Antonieta Canfield (@antonietacanfieldart) on
Credit: @antonietacanfieldart / Instagram
Canfield, the 29 year-old muralist splits her time between Brussels and her hometown of Mexico City. Her dream-like and vibrant murals mainly depict images from nature. She says that her art is influenced from her days in Catholic school as a kid, when a teacher once told her, “You’ll never be normal because you have too many birds in your head.”
Pau Quintanajornet
Chile
A photo posted by © THE ART OF PAU (@theartofpau) on
Credit: @theartofpau / Instagram
Born and raised and Chile, but moved to Berlin during high school, her murals demonstrate her unique cultural upbringing. She’s also a member of Turronas Crew, a widely-known group of Latina grafiteras.
Michelle Cunha
Brazil
A photo posted by Michelle Cunha (@michellecunha_mic) on
Credit: @michelecunha_mic / Instagram
Cunha’s eclectic and playful murals can be found on the coast of northern Brazil. Just flipping through her Instagram will transport you to a different world.
