Celebrating International Women’s Day, the WOM Collective produced a series of murals in Shoreditch’s Allen Gardens. Featuring a range of female street artists, the walls running along the overground rail line got a new coating of paint.
The artists of the Wom Collective Women’s Day paint jam
Women’s Day Murals
Called ‘WOM Inspired 23’ the event was in celebration of Women’s International Freedom and Respect. Part of a series of events centred around Women’s Day, artists had responded to an open call to turn up and paint. Heading to London from across the country, Allen Gardens offers one of the best series of free walls in the city.
Tamoonz and Nush Poke by Nush’s wall in the Allen Gardens
Portraits
Artworks ranged from portraiture to more abstract. Portraits included a tribute to photographer Martha Cooper from Laffiti, Morgana Dub Souljah from Apparan and Existential Bell from Shauna Blanchfield. Swindon’s Caryn Koh’s piece meanwhile featured two friends in an embrace.
Shauna Blanchfield with K Holla Wayo taking a closer look at Shauna’s wall
Variety
Other works included stencil pieces from SoulD and 7th Pencil, a beautiful water inspired piece from Van Jimmer and a wall of breasts from Elno and Damitta. This latter piece, a celebration of the diversity of women. More stylised graphic cartoon inspired work came from Mali Mowcka, Tamoonz and Nush Poke. Their sometimes darker character art styles have become instantly noticeable on the streets. Tattoo artist Lavia and Inkblot too added bold graphic portraits in black and white.
SoulD adding one of the many layers to her piece with the help of a friend
Range of Artworks
Other artists included illustrator Jeru Draws, Lore, Lucia Segura, Lunar, Maria Linares Friere, Orange Here Too, Pjawor and Y Would U Do That. All showcasing a variety of styles, the messages of the works adding to the range of narratives on display.
Van Jimmer in action painting her wall
The Wom Inspired 23 paint jam was held on 5 March 2023. It was organised by the Wom Collective and took place at Allen Gardens in Shoreditch.
Wom Man Paint Jam Gallery
7th Pencil
Stencil artist 7th Pencil
Apparan
An image inspired by a post by @morgana_dub_souljah which discussed how to face bad times. “Hard times needs a pure heart” she said. Apparan dedicated the work to anyone who faces bad times with a smile
Caryn Koh
‘To Be Loved’ is based on Caryn Koh’s friends Hwe Ling and Teck Hsien
Elno and Damitta
A wall of boobies from Elno and Damitta
Flavia
Tattoo artist Lavia (@fla_ink) is known for her graphic black and white style
Inkblot
“Celebrating women today means acknowledging how much work is left to be done. In countries as diverse as the USA, Afghanistan and Iran. Girls and Women now have fewer rights that their mothers and grandmothers did”. – Inkblot
Jeru Draws
‘God Save the Queen’ – A tribute to Vivienne Westwood from Jeru
K Holla Wayo
‘Toot’ a letter piece from Bristol’s K Holla Wayo
Laffiti
A portrait of legendary graffiti photographer Martha Cooper from Yorkshire based artist Laffiti
Lore
A heart separated from Lorenza Cirigliano aka Lore
Lucia Segura
A woman on a wave from Lucia Segura
Lunar
Botanical letters painted by Lunar. Celebrating women who have inspired the artist to “become better and not to give up”.
Mali Mowcka
A woman of many faces from Mali Mowcka
Maria Linares Freire
Cosmic Energy from Maria Linares Freire
Nush Poke
Birds on the wall from French artist Nush Poke
Orange Here Too
Medusa from OrangeHereToo
PJawor
Trixie from Pjawor
Shauna Blanchfield
Portrait of her friend Existential Bell from Shauna Blanchfield
SoulD Art
Multi layer stencil piece from SoulD Art. The piece is part of SoulD’s inner world series
Tamoonz
Graphic cartoon character from Tamoonz
Van Jimmer
‘Quan Yin Pearl’ – The work from Van Jimmer was inspired by a meaningful gift as well as the artist affinity for water. “It’s a contemplation of gratitude, of hard lessons won, of compassion for people and hope for the future’.
