Since its launch in 2012, the project has appeared on walls and public spaces across the United States and internationally, engaging thousands of participants and viewers. Through interviews, photography, drawing, and installation, the work centers the voices of women and non-binary people, transforming personal narratives into large-scale public artworks.
What began as a series of wheat-pasted portraits grew into a globally recognized project, sparking conversations about gender, safety, visibility, and power in shared spaces. The project has expanded through public installations, exhibitions, workshops, lectures, community engagement initiatives, and the publication of the book Stop Telling Women to Smile.
At its core, the work is about visibility: making space for people to speak about their experiences, and ensuring those experiences are seen and heard in the places where they occur. Through portraiture and public intervention, Stop Telling Women to Smile reimagines the street as a site for dialogue, amplification, and collective action.
Products from the series are available below:
