HER

A Montreal artist of Peruvian origin, HER is recognized as the pioneering woman of graffiti in Montreal. She was among the first to occupy urban space in the same way as men did: street painting and wildstyle pieces.It was after discovering the Under Pressure Festival in 1998 that she fell in love with graffiti culture. That same year, Chilla was born—a character she began drawing and spreading primarily in the form of stickers pasted throughout the city. Starting in 1999, she began actively painting in the streets of Montreal. In 2003, the tears/white claw marks were born under Chilla’s eyes, they symbolize resilience in the face of hardship and awareness of injustice. Her smile represents a love of life and the ability to appreciate beauty despite obstacles.In 2006, following her father’s death, she went through a major creative block and was no longer able to produce typographic pieces as she once had. She brought Chilla back to the center of her artistic practice.A Peruvian pin-up created in Montreal, Chilla is a fashionista figure inspired by women, music artists, and Montreal’s multicultural richness.

Through this character, HER celebrates representation, identity, and cultural pride.Aware of the visual importance of being a Latina woman in Montreal’s cultural landscape, she paints as much for herself as for youth from immigrant backgrounds and Latino children, so that they can see themselves reflected in public space and feel proud of who they are, their history, and the richness they bring to the community.