Exhibited in Milan, the series features the bruised and battered faces of leaders such as Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton and Angela Merkel.
Entitled ‘Just Because I am a Woman’, the street art campaign also features US Democratic Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Sonia Gandhi, the head of India’s main opposition party.
According to a statement, Palombo intends “to illustrate the drama that affects millions of women throughout the world ... with the aim of denouncing, raising awareness and obtaining a real response from institutions and politics”.
“Violence against women is a global problem that affects everyone regardless of race, class or religion,” the posters displaying the artwork say.
The women, with bruised faces or bearing strangulation marks, testify: “I am a victim of domestic violence, I am paid less, I have undergone genital mutilation, I don’t have the right to dress as I want, I can’t choose who I’m going to marry. I’ve been raped.”
Palambo, 46, has a history of revealing abusive relationships and violence against women in his artwork.
Among his most important works are ‘Disabled Disney Princesses’ and ‘The Simpsons Go to Auschwitz’.
Palombo’s latest artwork was released on November 25 to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
