Street art, guerrilla art, independent art—whatever you want to call it—there’s no doubt that bold, bright and interesting works of art really do help liven up public spaces for the better.
What’s more, according to Art Fund, spending time looking at and admiring art, from gallery pieces to street art, can actually help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress - who knew? So, as well as transforming dull, drab, and often neglected buildings, street art is also good for stimulating the brain and promoting a sense of general wellbeing.
Here, we take a look at some of the coolest street art pieces around the world, from the fun Caucasus country of Georgia where vast, detailed murals truly are a sight to behold, all the way to Canada’s vibrant cities of Montreal and Toronto and everywhere in between. It’s time to be inspired by art.
Striking street art from around the world
Plantacja Kakao by Paulina Kwietniewska
Brightening the curious Polish city of Łódź, where over 30 large-scale murals wait to be discovered and photographed, is this beautiful painting, called Plantacja Kakao (Cacao plantation), by Paulina Kwietniewska. Created in collaboration with a food and beverage company to highlight the growing need for truly sustainable cacao, the 350 square metre painting was completed in just eight days and depicts Nigerian cacao farmers caring for and plucking cacao pods.
I was represented by The Fearless Collective
Created by The Fearless Collective, a growing art movement of female artists from Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, this huge painting represents the strength, resilience and power of the women who live in Slave Island, the area where the mural can be viewed in Colombo, Sri Lanka. As well as I Was Represented, there are various other murals dotted around the city and many more from the collective spanning countries like Egypt, India and the UK.
Angels by Banksy
Sprayed directly onto the separation wall in Bethlehem, Palestine, close to Banksy’s very own art-filled hotel that shines a light on the area’s ongoing issues is this famed work from the elusive artist himself. Having first appeared in 2017, the cherubs or angels use a crowbar to seemingly try to prise apart the Israeli separation wall that was built in 2002, slicing through Palestinian land and cutting off access to other parts of the country. As well as this iconic piece, there are a handful of other Banksy pieces in the area, including Flower Thrower and Flying Balloon Girl.
May An Old Song Open A New World by Bryan Beyung and Gene Pendon
A collaborative project between Canadian artists Bryan Beyung and Gene Pendon, this huge artwork, close to Montreal's chinatown, is called May An Old Song Open A New World. Depicting a Chinese opera singer against a bright red background (synonymous with prosperity and heroism in Chinese culture), it was created to celebrate the city’s cultural diversity and remains one of the brightest and most photographed murals in the city.
A Couple Hold Hands in the Street by Stik
Known for his recognisable stick figures that dot the cityscape of London and beyond, Stik created this beautiful artwork in 2010, just days after the attempted attack on the Swedish cartoonist, Lars Vilks, who depicted the Prophet Mohammad as a dog. Located close to London’s Brick Lane Mosque, it shows a woman in a niqab holding hands with a second stick figure and was voted one of the UK’s favourite artworks in a 2017 Guardian poll, beating Henry Moore’s Reclining Figure and Scallop by Maggi Hambling.
Bantu Warrior by Kouka Ntadi
Hidden in Marrekech, Morocco, far away from the hustle and bustle of the medina is this striking image by Franco-Congolese painter, Kouka Ntadi. Believed to have been painted some time around 2023, when Ntadi was in the city working on a large scale mural called Remember the Voices of Yesteryear, it shows a Bantu warrior painted in Ntadi’s trademark style with drips running down the peach coloured wall.
With Love by Sasha Korban
Ukrainian artist, Sasha Korban created this incredible piece as part of the Kutaisi Mural Fest organised by Tbilisi Mural Fest in the Caucasus country of Georgia. According to the artist, who specialises in huge-scale pieces, often of people, this piece “represents the very essence of love. The love that saturates our everyday lives, manifesting through the small acts of kindness from our loved ones or even their mere presence.” Celebrating the beauty of life’s simpler moments, like baking bread with relatives or friends, this stunning piece is a joy to bask in its presence.
The Embrace by Ernaste Nasimo
This wholesome and photogenic embrace can be found in the Bulgarian city of Sofia, along with other large-scale pieces by Ernaste Nasimo. The prolific graffiti and fine art muralist from the Balkans started experimenting with graffiti and street art right after the fall of the communist regime, and today his work can be viewed across the world, from India to China. The Embrace shows two detailed figures entwined close to a smirking cherub, holding a bow and arrow, in a gorgeous colour palette of muted greys, taupe and cream.
Serge et Jane by Jo Di Bona
As the self-styled creator of Pop Graffiti, Jo Di Bona uses acid bright colours to create portraits of famous faces across the globe. The French artist who lives in Paris painted this double portrait of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin on the walls at the front of the couple’s house in Paris in 2017.
Guadalupe by Ekza One
Painted in 2022, this mural sits among many in the Guadalupe neighbourhood of the Mexican city of San Miguel de Allende. While the tourist hotspot city may be known mostly for the stunning pink building known as La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel, there’s an abundance of street art here to gaze upon, too. It’s worth seeking out pieces by Ekza One, whose large artworks often feature bold colours and plenty of Mexican symbolism.
Russian Nesting Doll by Amy Frueh
Street art covers the alleys and walls of Toronto but it’s this humble design that truly captures the imagination. Painted by Amy Frueh in 2018 and located in the city’s famed Graffiti Alley, the piece was completed in five hours and according to the artist asks the question, “What is the face we show the world, and what do we keep inside?"
Rabbit And Fox, by Erica Il Cane
Covering a vast swathe of wall in Mexico City, this fun and quirky piece by Erica Il Cane shows both a rabbit and a fox that at first glance seem to be sharing a bowl of spaghetti, a la Lady and the Tramp. However, on closer inspection, it seems the rabbit has caught the fox and tied him up with rope, reversing the usual hunting sequence depicted throughout art. Animals are a constant theme through Il Cane’s work, with the Italian artist favouring wild countryside animals like hares, mice, badgers and foxes.
Oblicze Piękna by Paulina Nawrot
A kind of modern day version of the Virgin Mary, this large scale artwork sits in the Polish city of Łódź, a place loved by creatives, including David Lynch, who described it as having “beautiful winter light” and “low-hanging grey clouds.” The image shows simple white roses, symbolising loyalty and innocence as well as an abundance of foliage surrounding the figure's dark blue shawl, similar to the one seen in depictions of the Virgin Mary.
Zero Stigma by Kez
Commissioned by a Greek hospital to highlight the plight of Aids for World Aids Day in 2019, this bold and bright piece, painted directly onto an old bus garage in Athens, is by the street artist known as Kez. Featuring a yellow background covered in multiple colour pop hands in various different poses, similar designs also popped up in Thessaloniki and Patras, too.
Freedom by Millo
Painted in 2015, this epic building side mural by Millo sits in the Lithuanian city of Vilnius, not too far from the central train station. Created for Vilnius Street Art Festival, the painting is done in Millo’s trademark style and sees the building’s real windows incorporated into the design that features origami birds and a boy blowing a whistle.
Wile E. Coyote by Fat Cap Sprays
Chances are if you’ve ever wandered around London’s Dalston and Stoke Newington you will have walked past one of Fat Caps Sprays’ bright designs that appear to positively glow. Some of the largest pieces take up whole building sides, while others, like this Wile E. Coyote, are much smaller in scale but equally fun to stumble across.
Swifts Over Macclesfield by Peachzz
Found at Macclesfield Railway Station, and brought to life by Yorkshire-based street artist Peachzz, this whimsical piece depicts two large swifts on a peachy pink background, and was inspired by the late Charles Tunnicliffe, an artist who resided in the town. The design sits on a vast 13-metre high wall and took three days to complete back in 2022 - don’t miss it if you’re in the Midlands market town.
Man on a Cart by Matthias Mross
Painted in conjunction with NIKO, a Georgian street art movement that helps to promote young artists and bring joy to the streets of Georgia, this large-scale mural can be found in the Black Sea resort of Batumi, Georgia. Showing a man atop a horse drawn wagon dressed in casual clothing and an Adidas baseball cap, it’s a continuation on Mross's frequent use of farm and agricultural animals and a comment on ancestral heritage colliding with modern daily life.
Unknown Woman by Oriol Angrill Jordà
Created in 2018, using spray paints in the gorgeous village of Porreres, Mallorca, this pretty piece by Oriol Angrill Jordà was commissioned in conjunction with TastArt and blends in seamlessly with the village’s sublime aesthetic setting. Holding what appears to be large silver balls, or perhaps planets, the atmospheric piece is serene yet exciting.
De-a telefonul by Bogdan Rata
This street art sculpture, rather than the typical graffiti or painting associated with street art, sits in the center of Timisoara, Romania, surrounded by cobblestones and grand pastel-hued mansions. Created by Romanian artist Bogdan Rata, who is a sculptor and associate professor at the West University of Timișoara, the piece made from platinum-plated bronze represents themes of “communication, play, and childhood as a metaphor for the future”, says the artist.
Violin Girl by Cake$
Stencil artist Cake$ has sprayed numerous designs on the separation wall close to Bethlehem, Palestine, with most following an all black theme and using barbed wire within the designs. Violin girl shows a small girl wearing a dress, playing the violin with a barbed wire bow, while other designs close by depict children playing with barbed wire skipping ropes as well as little Palestinian girls catching barbed wire butterflies.
Peeling potatoes by Case Maclaim
One of the most beautiful murals in Tbilisi, this wonderful design by Frankfurt-based street artist Case Maclaim shows oversized hands (a theme in Maclaim's work) peeling potatoes ready for cooking. His incredibly detailed murals are everywhere in the city, as well as his hometown of Frankfurt and locations as far as La Réunion and Aberdeen.
Ogni luogo ci segna nel cuore e nello spirito by Antonino Perrotta
Close to the cascade complex in hip and happening Yerevan, Armenia, Antonino Perrotta’s stunning street art mural was completed in spring 2023, brightening an otherwise nondescript city wall. Using just a handful of shades, Perrotta showcases his trademark marble sculpture faces, yet with the suggested artist at the forefront incorporated into the design, in turn creating an interesting think-piece.
Carl Friedrich Gauß by Thomas Stolz
The face of the German mathematician and astronomer Carl Friedrich Gauß can be found in the German city of Frankfurt as part of the Lending Streets a Face campaign. Situated on a street named after Gauß, the piece was completed in 2015 using stencil and paint.
Papá by Boomzerone
Having completed many murals around Mexico’s San Miguel de Allende, Alejandro Cortés, also known as Boomzerone incorporates subtle messages into his art, often with elements taken from his own life. Dedicated to anyone suffering from abandonment, the piece is a comment on “what it feels like when you lose your father and you live always waiting for that call that never arrives,” says Cortés.
Asami Zdrenka by Fin Dac
Created above a shop, just a short stroll from London’s Kentish Town tube station sits this fun mural by Fin Dac uses the face of local singer, Asami Zdrenka. Using his trademark bold colours and paint drip eyes, Zdrenka wears a crown of flowers including orchids, cherry blossom and magnolia.
Madonna con la pistola by Banksy
Hiding under a protective cover on the wall next to Girolamini Church in Naples, Italy sits one of Banksy’s famed pieces, that luckily still hasn’t been stolen. The elusive British artist continues to incorporate the Virgin Mary into his street art with this piece showing a pistol hovering slightly above her head.
Cut by Maria Bernatene
Sitting in central Madrid, this discreet yet colourful piece hides on a garage door, ensuring passers-by might just miss it if not paying enough attention. Using a pretty colour palette of pinks and washed out turquoise, the film-maker inspired design is simplistic but striking.
Horse by Dante Mdante
Painted as part of Tbilisi Mural Fest in Georgia, this gorgeous horse design by Dante Mdante can be found in the neighbourhood of Vake, Tbilisi. The horse can be seen galloping away with mini retro Ford race cars speeding close by and while we don’t know the true inspiration behind the piece, it seems to be a comment on a love and desire for speed and strength whether in the natural world or the manmade.
Transmitter and Receiver by Case Maclaim
Frankfurt native Case Maclaim created this vast photorealist mural in his hometown and while alone it’s a very impressive piece of art, there’s actually a dual aspect to it since a building further down the street continues the story. While the first building shows a girl sitting at a typewriter, composing a letter, the second building shows a man reading a letter, which is where it gets its name of transmitter and receiver. Some smaller pieces of Maclaim’s work can be found in and around Frankfurt’s subway stations.
Chatsworth Road Moons by Run
These joyful oversized moon-head figures can be found painted right across a residential house at the end of Chatsworth Road in London, not far from Clapton station. Created by Run for the London Mural Festival, the engaging painting captures the essence of summer fun alongside some fabulous banana tree foliage and plenty of smiles.
Diego Maradona by Mario Filardi
The Diego Maradona shrine in Scudetto Tarsia, Naples, is a fun place to while away an hour or so since it’s overflowing with murals and images of the legendary footballer, including this grand mural by Mario Filardi that spans several floors. Napolitanos adore the Argentine football player who joined the city’s team in 1984 leading them to significant success, and yet, the passion for the player hasn't died down one iota, since his death in 2020.
