Cerrucha's "Trinchera". A Feminist Artistic Response to the War Against Women

Abstract

In 2020, 66% of Mexican women endured physical abuse, and 70% suffered psychological trauma (ONU Mujeres, 2021). Despite the strong legal framework available since 2007, which Mexican legislators have built up to combat the scourge of violence against women. Rita Laura Segato’s claim: “There is a war against women” (2016) gains clarity when authorities are complicit or perpetrators. With this in mind, Mexican artivist Cerrucha called her most recent installation Trinchera (Trench). This street art installation appropriates the public space to send the message that women travel safely when they confront patriarchy together. I assert that Cerrucha’s Trinchera encourages women’s resistance against violence while embodying some of the main demands of the Mexican feminist agenda. By classifying Cerrucha’s work as artivism, we appreciate the intersection of art and activism, vital in addressing gender-based violence. Contextualising her creation within the feminist movement unerscores the urgent need for women’s protest in Mexico. Cerrucha’s art actively calls for women to unite, amplifying the feminist agenda’s core principles.