Just like Wall Street, when it comes to street walls, men dominate. That is to say, a fair whack of the spray paint that’s out there came out of cans held by blokes. Of course, female street artists are definitely on the scene, but there’s few that own it. Trying to forge a fresh voice under the watchful eye of old school subscribers who have strong opinions on technique and subject matter is hard to pull off. Harder still if you don’t appear to uphold all the tenets of street art culture.
One such lady, issuing forth murals on her own terms, is the French-born, Belgium-based Anthea Missy. This smart and self-possessed street artist with her organic patterns and unorthodox uniform (tights, denim cut-offs, hair bow and heels), may divide opinion among purists, but she definitely gets the popular vote with followers. Not that she pays much mind to critics – she stands by her work whether you like it or not. In fact, she makes sure to take an Insta pic of herself literally standing with each of her artworks, to share and proudly declare that she takes responsibility for her creations no matter what you might think. And this baring all, is the essence of her work.
