Graffiti artist takes women's rights to Brazil's streets
Spray-paint activist
Graffiti artist Panmela Castro uses her work to combat domestic violence and promote women's rights. Here, the 31-year-old is working on a mural in Penha, a working class suburb of Rio de Janeiro and her hometown.
'My network'
Before work starts, members of Castro's organization, Rede Nami, prepare the wall with a thick grey undercoat. Castro founded the all-female collective in 2008. The organization aims to reach out to women in Rio's poorer, more isolated communities and inform them of their rights. Rede Nami means "my network" in Rio dialect.
Outline of a woman
Castro seeks permission from each municipality before painting a mural. Thanks to the nature of her work, she gets approval more often than not. She started painting murals in 2005 and graduated from Rio's Federal University. Now she's working on a master's degree in contemporary art at Rio's State University. Here, she starts her mural with a rough outline of a woman's face.
I heart graffiti
"When I first started painting the murals, women doing graffiti was something that wasn't so common," Castro says. "The boys looked down on us. And the people on the street felt weird to see a woman painting the walls, but now, some year's later, things are different."
Taking shape
As the mural starts to take shape, members of Rede Nami get involved. Like a billboard, the graffiti catches the eye on the streets. The aim is to spread the message that violence against women is unacceptable. Recent statistics indicate that a woman is beaten every five minutes in Brazil. Over the past decade, 44,000 women have been killed in their homes as a result of domestic violence.
Finishing touches
Castro adds the finishing touches to today's mural. "In my family most of the people are women, and all my aunties and the old women suffered domestic violence," she says. "This is something that was common in the past. This is why I work to change it, because I have seen this in my own family. I don't want this to continue with my daughter or others!"
Spot of rain
As their work nears completion, the artists are interrupted by a spot of rain. Castro takes the opportunity to call everyone together for a group photo. Brazil introduced the Maria da Penha law to combat domestic violence in 2006. The law took its name from a woman who was shot by her husband while asleep and confined to a wheelchair. It made domestic violence punishable with prison.
Done for the day
"With my work I hope to change the position of the woman in society, the way that people look at us," says Castro. "Because we have changed a lot in the past years, but there's still a lot we need to change."
Pink lady
Here's an example of Castro's work on Rio de Janeiro's bustling Avenida Republica do Chile, in the center of the city. The mural is located outside the headquarters of South America's largest employer, Petrobras.
Heap of hair
This one of Castro's murals is inside the CEDIM cultural space, off Avenida Presidente Vargas in central Rio. CEDIM, the State Council on Women's Rights, was set up to promote and implement gender policies.