IWD 2025: King's Cross art installation celebrates 'extraordinary lives of ordinary women'

• A new exhibition has been unveiled at London’s King’s Cross Station for International Women’s Day 2025.
• The outdoor exhibition, called HighlightHER, celebrates the achievements of ‘extraordinary’ ordinary women.
• It will visible in Granary Square until 30th March 2025.
• International Women’s Day is celebrated annually on March 8th to honour the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women worldwide while advocating for gender equality through events, rallies, and discussions.

A new art installation celebrating ‘extraordinary ordinary’ women has been unveiled near King’s Cross Station.

The vibrant and colourful exhibition, created by London artist Hanna Benihoud, was unveiled earlier this week on March 4th.

The illustrations showcase ‘ordinary’ women doing extraordinary things, such as a woman who expertly applies a full face of make-up on the Tube during rush hour or the woman who juggles three loads of laundry, prepares packed lunches, and schedules a doctor’s appointment—all before 9am. AMEN (or should that be AWOMEN?)

The stories that have inspired Hanna’s artwork have been gathered through her conversations with women of all ages, backgrounds, and lifestyles, both offline and on social media. The project is designed to elevate the inner lives of women, which are rarely shown, and celebrate the ‘magic of the mundane’.

The designs for this unique exhibition will feature on 15 beautifully crafted benches around Granary Square until Sunday, March 30th. Each bench will tell the story of a different woman or group of women, highlighting their remarkable contributions that so often go unnoticed.

Get the day’s biggest headlines, straight to your inbox, with London World’s free email newsletters.

Hanna Benihoud said: "During the summer of 2023, in America Ferrera’s monologue in the Barbie movie, she asked, “What about ordinary Barbie?”—a question that struck a collective nerve. Then, in the summer of 2024, women embraced ‘Brat Summer,’ encapsulated by a strappy top and a Bic lighter—the epitome of the everyday. There is something about the ‘ordinariness’ of womanhood that is actually quite magical.

“HighlightHer is a chance to celebrate the quiet chaos and joy of ‘ordinary’ women’s daily lives, not just on International Women’s Day, but everyday.”