In a world where street art is often associated with male names, French artist KASHINK has spent more than a decade amplifying a voice that is bold, colorful, subversive, and deeply human. Behind this striking name stands Maëva Martinez, born in 1981 and raised in France. She now lives and works in Paris, but her art appears on walls across the world, from Miami and London to Berlin and Mexico City.
The name she chose, KASHINK, is not a real word. It’s an invented, onomatopoeic sound, like “bang” or “pow” from comic books, an explosion of color, thought, and energy. “I wanted a name that felt like an eruption,” she told me. “A name that doesn’t belong to any language, gender, or boundary, just like my art.”
Identity, Color, and Rebellion
KASHINK is one of the few artists who manages to blend childlike vibrancy with political and social depth. Her characters, often faces with four eyes, thick mustaches, and mysterious expressions, hover between male and female, human and animal, reality and fantasy. “I paint characters that don’t exist,” she says, “because for me, street art is a chance to invent a new world where anything is possible.”
Part of what makes her work so distinctive is the combination of bold graphic forms and messages about gender, diversity, and equality. For her, the street is a space where everyone – woman, man, or anyone in between – has the right to take up space. “When I paint on a wall, I’m not just creating an image. I’m claiming a space that’s been seen as masculine and opening it for everyone.”
Art With Meaning
Behind every one of her walls lies deep reflection. Her colorful figures, with thick outlines, bright tones, and piercing gazes, express ideas of identity, difference, community, and humor. “I love exaggerated colors,” she said in an interview with Acclaim Magazine. “I use color to say serious things, but in a way that makes people stop, smile, and think.”
Unlike many artists who keep their signatures small or hidden, KASHINK uses her name as a symbol. She signs it in big, bold letters, a statement of female presence in public space. As she puts it, “Street art has long been written in a masculine font, with masculine energy. I want to show that you can shout differently, with color, emotion, and compassion.”
International Art With Parisian Roots
KASHINK refuses to be defined as a local artist. She paints in the streets of Paris but also participates in international projects. Her works have appeared at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Montreal, in graffiti festivals in Miami and Mexico, and in social projects throughout Europe.
Still, Paris is home – especially the 10th, 11th, 19th, and 20th arrondissements, where some of her most famous walls can be found. “Paris is a city of contrasts,” she says. “It’s elegant and classic, but also messy, multicultural, noisy, creatively chaotic. I feel part of that chaos – and I love painting on it.”
The Mustache, the Mask, and the Play With Gender
One of KASHINK’s most recognizable symbols is the mustache – not only on her characters but also on her own face. For her, it’s both a humorous and critical gesture toward concepts of femininity, beauty, and gender.
“When I walk down the street with a painted mustache,” she told The Guardian, “people look at me differently. It makes them question gender and how we judge appearance. I like to mix the cards.”
For KASHINK, art and life are inseparable. She doesn’t draw a line between the artistic act and the personal statement. The street is her stage – a place where every wall becomes a dialogue with the city and its people.
Art That Speaks to Everyone
Part of what makes KASHINK’s work so beloved is its accessibility. Her creations are joyful, vibrant, and full of life, yet they also provoke thought. She tackles social themes, racism, gender, diversity – but always through a lens of humanity. “I don’t want to preach,” she says. “I want people to think for themselves. If someone stops in front of my wall and feels something, curiosity, confusion, a smile, then I’ve succeeded.”
Conclusion
KASHINK is more than a street artist – she’s a fearless and uncompromising voice in a world where feminine, queer, and creative identities still fight for visibility. She reminds us that graffiti can be not only protest but also visual poetry, colorful, emotional, and compassionate. In her own words:
“I don’t paint to decorate the city. I paint to remind everyone that it belongs to us, all of us.”
Among the artists whose works appear in the series of posts on street art and graffiti in Paris: SETH (Julien Malland), C215 (Christian Guémy), Vhils (Alexandre Farto), KASHINK (Maëva Martinez), Vale_Stencil (Valérian Lenud), The Pop Suréalist, The End of Animals (THE END), L’Empreinte Jo V (La Dactylo), IPDO (I Pixel di Oplontis), Mathieu 1976 (Mathieu Dussaucy), DJERADI LUDOVIC (Ludovic Djeradi), JR, Invader, Miss.Tic, Jef Aérosol, Blek Le Rat, Speedy Graphito, Hopare, Astro, Ardif, Ludo, Levalet (Charles Leval), Jo Di Bona, Monsieur Chat (Thoma Vuille), Zevs, Combo CK (Combo Culture Kidnapper), Alëxone Dizac, Tilt, Lek & Sowat, L’Atlas, Romain Froquet, Philippe Baudelocque, Jérôme Mesnager, Vinie Graffiti, Kalouf, Maye, A-MO, Clet Abraham, OakOak, Ender, Mosko et Associés, Codex Urbanus, Ella & Pitr, Dourone, Shaka (Marchal Mithouard), Raphael Federici, Pboy, Sismikazot, Kurar, Gregos, Tarek, Jace, Nasty, Doudou Style, FKDL, RNST, Zepha, Jerk 45, Onemizer, Bault, Polar Bear, Céz Art, Guy Denning, SP38, Zeer, Dume, Tanc, Kaldea, Antistatik, Reso, Woizo, MadC, Jober, Abys, Guaté Mao, Psyckoze, MonkeyBird Crew, Mantra, Aude Villerouge, Loraine Motti, Jean Faucheur, Jibé, Bom.K, Gris1, Aéro, JBC, Le MoDuLe De ZeeR, D*Face, Shepard Fairey, Banksy, 2Shy, Aroe, Babs, Bates, Brusk, Can2, Case Maclaim, Chanoir, Create, Darco, Dize, Gyz, Insane 51, Jaba, Jonone, Katre, Marko 93, Noé2One Mizer, Pro176, Remio, Schuck2, Snake, T-Kid, Tony Noel, Vision, Zenoy
Street Art in Le Marais Paris
Street Art Along Canal de l’Ourcq
LUDOVIC – Urban Chaos
Mathieu 1976 – Angels in Paris
IPDO – The Smurfs on the Wall
The Women of L’Empreinte Jo V
The Pop Suréalist
KASHINK – Paris’ Female Voice
Spot 13 – Paris
La Promenade Plantée – Paris
Street Art Avenue Paris
Street Art in Montmartre
The Giant Mural Project in Paris
THE END OF ANIMALS
The Belleville Character
VHILS – Carved in Stone
59 Rivoli – Alternative Art in Paris
The Children of SETH
Vale_Stencil – Colorful Stencil Art


