During recent travels to the Southern hemisphere, I found myself in the port city of Valparaiso, Chile. This gritty city by the sea was brimming with amazing street art and shops full of handmade goodness.

The best example of where art and craft walk the delicate balance beam of which is which, was this beautiful yet striking public art display on domestic violence.

These white dresses were located just off of a busy street, where it was impossible not to walk by. Each had the look of handmade and represented a woman lost to domestic violence.

Adorning each dress was an outline of some weapon, spotlighting the gristly reality of the issue. These were done in beautiful beading or applique, just as one would adorn another white dress for a happier occasion.

While my spanish isn’t that wonderful, it was easy to gather what this display was about. The art and craft worked successfully together to highlight this important topic.