Feminist Art Series, #SpeakUpPHL, Pops Up Around Philly

Early last month, Philly street artists Ishknits and Blur hosted a feminist art workshop titled #SpeakUpPHL. The workshop offered participates the opportunity to create messages for the center of Blur’s now super well-known ‘Speak Up’ series (the mouths you see throughout this post), which the two host artists would then wheatepaste around town.

Well, that time has come! About two weeks ago I took these photos of some of the work from the #SpeakUpPHL workshop that Ishknits and Blur pasted up at 5th and Green streets in Northern Liberties and Frankford avenue and York street in Fishtown. The one in Fishtown, unfortunately, has since been buffed (or painted over, if you’re not familiar with that term).

Blur talks about the origins of her ‘Speak Up’ series on her website: “I dove into street art in the Fall of 2015. During that time my health plummeted in ways I never imagined. For months I quite literally could not speak, my words a sea of vowels. But a fire inside me ignited during that time, I had so much I wanted and needed to say. I demanded to be heard. Sick and tired of my old artistic outlets, I grabbed a pack of labels and it spilled out as if it was meant to be. Blur was created from desperation, a need to be heard. And while I continue on my path of healing, I’ll keep creating street art as a way to find my voice again. Hopefully I’ll inspire you to find yours too.”

See more below!

Check out more work around Philly from Ishknits and Blur by clicking their names!