If Banksy is a girl then we’ve found her. Princess Hijab is not only reclaiming space but defiantly Hijabizing the streets of Paris. Armed with spray paint and black markers, Princess Hijab is ready to dissect contemporary habits by hiding the faces of consumerism with hijabs. Many find it hard to see where the hijab and secularism can live in harmony but through the simple but blunt addition of a veil advertising billboards take on a subversive meaning instantly.
Princess Hijab states, ‘I would say my work is inspired from the anti-consumerist movements. I’m an advertising hijabist. In other words, I cover all advertising with a black veil, which is a dark symbol, a reference on pop culture, and a way to hide elegantly advertising. It is also a study on territories and identities.’
It hasn’t been confirmed whether or not Princess Hijab is a Muslim, but regardless of her religious affiliations the juxtaposition of the Muslim and commercialism creates a synergistic effect that is visually aggressive.
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Rewind. Why were guerilla artists like Poster Boy and and Banksy were so successful? Most of the time it is a slight tweaking of the original formula which makes all the difference. In order to fight with the powerhouse brand initiatives of commercialism, guerilla artists inject themselves directly in the formula in order to gain platform.
It is by chance that most of these ads feature women, which conveniently adds the extra element of sexual identities. The hijab works as a two-in-one symbol for its literal and figurative meaning, especially when placed in public and urban areas the impact is exponential. Check out Princess Hijab’s work in the following pages!
-EvelynKim|Follow Me@evelynjkim
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