Street Artists Paint in Support of Safer Streets for Women

Street artists have painted a series of murals in Waterloo’s Leake Street Tunnel. Part of an event organised by the WOM Collective. It was a last minute response to the tragic murder of Sarah Everard. A number of murals were created in the tunnel throughout the day.

The event was one which ran parallel to others held on the same day. Vigils took place across the country including the main one at the Clapham Common bandstand. The week prior had been one which had revolved around the search for Sarah who had disappeared after walking home from a friends. The terrible news that her body had been found came only a few days before.

Long mural in the leake street tunnel in support of safer street and spaces for women
Work by various artists painted as part of the Safer Streets Paint Jam. This stretch of wall shows work from Jane Mutiny, Lours, This One, Tizer, Elno and Apparan
A performer dances against a mural, painted by Elno, in the Leake Street Tunnel
A performer dances by the mural from WOM Collective founder Elno. Her mural is interwoven with fauna paintings from ‘This One’ art

Safe Streets and Spaces

An outpouring of grief had met the tragic discovery. Women shared their own stories on social media. Speaking out about they too have had to deal with feeling unsafe. How, just in the basic act of walking home they have had to take precautions. The outpouring of experiences revealing that these lived experiences were common and widespread. The circumstances around Sarah’s disappearance were made more harrowing by the fact that a serving police officer had been arrested.

Working with the organisers of the vigil for Sarah, the WOM Collectives theme was ‘We want safe streets and spaces for women’. Inviting anyone to come along it was about paying respect and showing support. It was also about commaradery and togetherness. With an open invitation to come along. The artists were painting together with a common cause, drawn together in sorrow following the sad events.

The WOM Collective ‘Safer Streets’ paint jam took place on 13 March 2021. The date was meant to coincide with vigils to the memory of Sarah Everard happening around the country. All pictures were taken the day after on 14 March 2021. Some of the murals created had been painted over in the intervening time. I will happily update the post if there area any artists who did contribute but whose work is not represented in this post.


Safer Streets Paint Jam in Leake Street

Apparan – instagram

'Not Safe' an artwork by Apparan in the Leake Street Tunnel
‘Not Safe’ by Apparan. The mural shows a protective stance from a woman

Clit Kat – instagram

‘Enough’ from ClitKat in the Leake Street Tunnel

Damitta – instagram

Portrait of a woman in the Leake Street Tunnel by Damitta
‘When I go home I dont want to look back’ – Damitta aka DMT Art

Elno – instagram

Elno mural painted in the tunnel

Grown One – Instagram

‘Sisterhood’ by Grown One. Painted in solidarity with other women and ‘Reclaim the Streets’

Intikvna – Instagram

‘No One Should Be Reported Missing’ – Text based piece from Intikvna

Jane Mutiny

Each time a woman stands up for herself she stands up for all women
‘Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women’ – Maya Angelou by Jane Mutiny

Jelly Artist – Instagram

Every night we have our keys ready as weapons. Mural by Jelly artist in the Leake Street Tunnel
Every night we have our keys ready as weapons. Powerful piece from Jelly Artist. Picture courtesy of Jelly

Lours – Instagram

‘Respect Freedom’ from Lours

Mar – Instagram

Interpretation of Omaticaya, the tree of the soul from Mar. Explaining the piece, Mar said “Omaticaya is the tree of voices. A place for prayers to be heard and sometimes the voice of our ancients answered. I need you to hear my prayers for living with love instead of fear. To make love instead of fight. To feel loved instead of disrespected. To walk with love on my face instead of pain in my eyes. To speak love instead of shouting help. To spread love and be in love! Please hear me and when someone choose me, let me be seen and felt as pure love.

Marie Linares Friere – Instagram

Mural by Maria Linares Freire. On instagram she says her piece “refers to the Feminine Powers and the energy of the night which influences our nature” picture courtesy of the artist.
Maria Linares Freire mural in the leake street tunnel. Picture courtesy of the artist

Orbit – Instagram

Orbit’s multi coloured ribbon showing support painting alongside female artists
Murals by Mar and Orbit next to each other in the Leake Street Tunnel

Particle Wave – Instagram

A fierce tigeress in the tunnel from Particle Wave

This One – Instagram

This One’s mural forms a background to the work of other artists in the tunnel
‘Stop Being Weird Around Women’ by ‘This One’

Tizer – Instagram

No Means No! by Tizer painting with This One

2 Comments

Leave a Reply