On May 24th, 2025, Women for Life, a new canvas by Helen Bur, will be unveiled as part of the Concrete & Colour exhibition at GraffitiStreet. This artwork captures a moment deeply rooted in protest history, yet its message remains profoundly relevant today. The choice of opening date is significant: May 24th has now been designated as Women’s International Day for Disarmament and Peace, reflecting the same spirit of peaceful resistance that these women demonstrated over four decades ago.
Women for Life takes direct inspiration from the women of Greenham Common, who, in December 1982, sat on the cold concrete in front of military tanks to block their path. The original image, captured by photographer Mike Goldwater, shows women seated, their bodies grounded as an act of defiance against the machinery of war. This quiet yet powerful protest has become a symbol of resistance, and its message endures.
Women for Life, a new canvas by Helen Bur
In Women for Life, Helen Bur captures this moment with the tank included in the composition. However, the focus remains on the women themselves, each individual figure is depicted sitting on the concrete, dressed in woolly hats, stripy scarves, mismatched gloves, and brightly coloured jackets. These women are not anonymous; they are painted with a sense of tenderness and strength. They embody a resistance that is colourful, peaceful, and resolute.
The canvas also forms a poignant connection to the Concrete & Colour exhibition. Concrete here is not just a surface; it’s the foundation on which change is demanded. Colour is not mere decoration it’s defiance. The bright clothing of the protesters sharply contrasts with the dull grey of the military landscape they are challenging, transforming a bleak scene into one filled with humanity and warmth.
Women for Life, a new canvas by Helen Bur
Importantly, Women for Life doesn’t merely recreate a historical event, it reflects an ongoing struggle. By including the tank in the composition, the piece underscores the persistence of the Nuclear threat. Yet, it’s the women’s peaceful resistance, their sit down protest and determination, that takes centre stage. These women are not passive victims of war or policy; they are active participants in peace.
Helen Bur’s work has long been focused on bringing visibility to unheard voices, offering empathy and realism to scenes of social tension. In this piece, she honours the courage of those who protested not through loud demonstrations, but through quiet, resolute action. In their stillness, there was strength. In their softness, there was strategy.
As the world continues to confront new forms of violence and division, Women for Life serves as a reminder of the power of collective, peaceful resistance. It speaks to a history written not in military records, but in scarves, in breath held on winter concrete, and in hands joined across barriers. This is an artwork not just for its time, but for ours.
Women for Life, a new canvas by Helen Bur
Opening on May 24th, now marked as Women’s International Day for Disarmament and Peace, the message of Women for Life is clear: we remember, we resist, and we continue.
