Princess Hijab: underground resistance

Princess Hijab on the Paris Metro in November 2010
Photograph: Richard Pak for the Guardian

Striking at night with dripping black paint she slaps black Muslim veils on the half-naked 
airbrushed women, and men, of the 
metro’s fashion adverts. She calls it “hijabisation” Photograph: Princess Hijab

She sees herself as part of a new “grafitti of minorities” reclaiming the streets Photograph: Princess Hijab

The work now usually only stays up for 45-minutes to an hour before being ripped down by officials Photograph: Princess Hijab

As a result PH has become highly selective, only doing around four to five grafitti “interventions” ia year Photograph: Princess Hijab

Each is carefully photographed and has its own afterlife circulating online Photograph: Princess Hijab

H&M is one of the artist's favourite targets Photograph: Princess Hijab

Of her work, she comments: “If it was only about the burqa ban, my work wouldn’t have a resonance for very long. But I think the burqa ban has given a global visibility to the issue of integration in France” Photograph: Princess Hijab

And what is the significance of Islam to her? “The spiritual interests me, but that’s personal, I don’t think it bears on my work. Religion interests me, Muslims interest me and the impact they can have, artistically, aesthetically, in the codes that are all around us, particularly in fashion" Photograph: Princess Hijab