Street Artist Marisa Velázquez-Rivas Wheatpastes New “Smash the Fash” Series Around Center City

A new wheatpaste series this week by Philly-based street artist Marisa Velázquez-Rivas titled Smash the Fash depicts Nazi and white supremacist symbols being crushed by a hand with incredible nails!

In a public Facebook post about her new series, Marisa wrote: “Respeta existencia o espera resistencia. Filadelfia es antifascista.” Which, if Facebook translate is correct, reads in English: “Respect existence or expect resistance. Philadelphia is antifascist.” (Feel free to correct me and Facebook translate in the comments, if that’s not accurate.)

The paste photographed above depicts a sweaty member of a white supremacist hate group running from a brilliantly manicured hand, and it’s located on Walnut street off 11th street in the Gayborhood. The paste photographed below depicts a swastika crumbling under the pressure of that same manicured hand, and it’s located on Chestnut street off 19th street in Rittenhouse Square. A third wheatpaste apart of the series that depicted a MAGA (Make America Great Again) hat wearing individual meeting the same fate with the hand has already been destroyed, but you can check it out here.

Absolutely LOVE these, Marisa… Hope to see more around town soon!

Read our 2018 Streets Dept Oral History Project interview with Marisa Velázquez-Rivas now here; and see other works from the artist around Philly here!