IT IS (NOT) A MAN'S WORLD: A Cultural Criminological study on illegal gynocentric graffiti and street art practice in Athens

Abstract

Since its emergence, the practice of graffiti and later street art has been a topic of great interest within the field of Criminology. Much attention has been oriented toward male participation within the subculture, with an evident underrepresentation of women, largely overlooking female graffiti and street art practitioners. As Athens constitutes a popular illegal graffiti and street art hub, women seemed absent from Athenian illicit urban art studies. Thus, through a Cultural Criminological lens, this thesis aims to challenge the stereotypical narrative that graffiti and street art are solely executed by men. Using in- depth interviews with 11 female practitioners in Athens and visual analysis of photographs of their graffiti and street art pieces, this study presents how graffiti and street art are practiced and experienced by women in Athens. Particularly, this research examines the reasons for women’s initial engagement in the practice of graffiti and street art, while also deconstructing the reasons that facilitated Athens in becoming a popular illegal graffiti and street art epicentre. Additionally, this thesis shows that the physical act of illegal painting results to be a strong, pleasurable body and mind experience for the practitioners, highlighting its affective nature. Furthermore, this study showcases the methods, styles, and thematic contents adopted by the female practitioners, illustrating their significant role within the illegal Athenian graffiti and street art milieu, and describing how women are active members of this subculture. Finally, this thesis analyses the relationship of female practitioners with police authorities and the public, to evidently examine and understand the encounters between them.