I had the pleasure of interviewing three really down womyn who break your expectations of what a “lady” should be. These womyn are tough, brutally honest, cute and yeah they’re graffiti artists. They make up part of the South Central Los Angeles graffiti subculture, which like graffiti subculture in general has been traditionally male-dominated. These talented womyn are currently no older than 22 years old and have been painting from a very young age.
I interviewed them last summer when I expressed my interest in writing an article about women who were street artists in South Central Los Angeles. And if you’ve heard anything about this little piece of LA, it was probably depicted (as is often the case) as a blighted, dangerous and crime-ridden urban neighborhood in South Los Angeles. Their cultural heritage background is Mexican. Their art has been influenced throughout the years by various elements from their family to their neighborhood environments. I kept their stories for almost a year now (which I admit has been selfish on my part). I started writing that article I promised them I would, but stopped when I resumed school. As a result the interview is not current; it was taken last summer and some things may have changed in their art and life style. Nonetheless, these interviews still expose the basic essence of their experiences with street art and art in general. It is now that I place a spotlight on their stories as artists.
Since they are three unique artists I will introduce them separately. I will start with Rose, followed by Hers and finally Clovershrooms. I present you their experiences in the graffiti underground of South Central Los Angeles.
almendra 