Drawn City: the effects of women’s graffiti in public spaces of Rio and Barcelona through cartography

Abstract

There are manifestations of graffiti in various places throughout the contemporary city. The drawings created by female graffiti artists can present different themes as a means of the consolidation of identities. However, does graffiti made by a woman symbolically influence public space? Focusing on the neighbourhoods of Santo Cristo in Rio de Janeiro and Poblenou with Provençals del Poblenou in Barcelona, this article proposes a methodological reflection on how to identify these actions and understand their cultural effects in a global phenomenon. In order to comprehend the impacts of these graphic expressions, a methodology based on a cartography was developed. Mapping graffiti created by women can be carried out in other cities and asserts the female presence as part of the occupation of public space.