SH We ask female writers if they would like to be interviewed. Sometimes we also get tips or suggestions that we followed and included. Some collectives or individuals also approached us and want to connect or paint together. But due to our time restrictions and for security reasons, we normally don’t do that though. Nevertheless, we network automatically in all directions. MC How do female artists who are not active femists respond to your work or your cause? SH Since we do not have feminism as an explicit topic and just want to celebrate women in graffiti, the resistance is limited. Feminism should not be the sole focus for us, it’s primarily about graffiti. Every now and then some people find it senseless that it is about women in graffiti because they want to get away from the stereotype. The worst is when guys think that something is being taken away from them, or who are afraid that they will all be branded as fools. However, the street bombers don’t complain when a film like “Unlike U” is released, and it only focuses on train painters. MC To broaden the greater public’s awareness of female writers, who are your heroes, and was there anyone that inspired you to follow your paths? SH There are many writers, female crews, and supporters who have been part of graffiti from the start. If you don’t know the synonyms of women, of course, you won’t notice them in public either. But women like Lady Pink, Sany from the “Girl Power” movie, or Martha Cooper, who have been documenting the graffiti scene since the beginning, are of course icons. But there are also many others who are not in the public eye that have not come out publicly as “woman” to be judged differently or torn down. With the support of some male friends, we started our project in the first place and many thought it was very cool that there are women who paint. MC When you are out in the ‘field’, do you think fellow male artists treat you any differently to their male counterparts? SH Yes and no. We have all had different experiences, and definitely not only negative ones. With the support of some male friends, we started our project in the first 128 Street Report / Interview Sisterhood
Additionally, that as many people as possible hear about the exhibition and see it. Just so that people understand the message, celebrate, and respect women in graffiti. Not forgetting that we manage to give girls a stage and encourage them to do their thing. MC If your whole crew had only one Montana Cans cap and can combination to use, which one would it be? SH Black-orange dot! Lavender, Royal Purple, Nappies, True Yellow, Black, and White! The worst is when guys think that something is being taken awayfrom them, or who are afraid that they will all be branded as fools. ↑ In the end, it’s all about graffiti. And the playing rules for girls are no different to that of the boys. So in the end, graffiti wins. Montana Cans SPOTLIGHT get to know: Sister hood place and many thought it was very cool that there are women who paint. But also, something like being treated very nicely, or that people want to take care of you was part of it, which was kind of patronizing. We also know what it is like to be not taken seriously or reduced to how we look. Unfortunately, often our gender is automatically their first point of attack when they are aware that we are female. And for many, it becomes an issue as they start to find you somehow attractive, or interesting. This sometimes makes things complicated. We can understand that women are celebrated by men who do atypical things, and with whom they share their own passion. But there have also been some very unpleasant interactions where personal boundaries have been crossed. These are the types of guys that are unlikely to be respectful to women outside of graffiti. It’s a societal problem. MC If you could achieve one major achievement as a collective, what would that be? SH The first thing would be to encourage other women to continue doing what they love and not to be belittled! Pooling skills, strengths, and resources are no secret for success in whatever endeavors you choose to do. So why should it be any different for female writers? The SISTERHOOD is here to stay, so stayed tuned for the artworks, events, and colors that this group is destined to spread across the globe. Street Report / Interview Sisterhood 129
