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50 Street Art Masterpieces From Around The World That Left People Speechless
Once dismissed as vandalism, it's evolved to become one of the most accessible and powerful art forms on the planet.
A voice for the voiceless, a protest against the status quo, a love letter to a community, a call to action, or sometimes, just pure and unfiltered creativity... set free on the backdrop of brick, concrete, glass or steel.
Unlike the pieces you see in museums or galleries, street art doesn't demand an admission fee or a ticket. It belongs to everyone. Even those who despise it and still think of it as "ugly graffiti."
Often painted under the cover of darkness, many of these works carry deep cultural, political or social messages. They're not just paint on walls. They're conversations between the artists and their communities. Reminders that beauty and meaning can sometimes be found in the most unexpected places.
Bored Panda has put together a compilation of the most impactful and incredible street art pieces spotted around the world. Some are still around. Others have been painted over, demolished, or faded by the sun. Gone but not forgotten.
We also explore the history of street art. You'll find that info between the images.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Saw In Grenoble Today
Many of them work under the cover of darkness, carefully crafting their messages to communities without being caught. It's the perfect mix of rebellion and bold creativity.
Street art first emerged in the 1970s, and since then it's been transforming ordinary and bland cityscapes around the world into unexpected, vibrant canvases. Many of the pieces communicate powerful (and sometimes hidden) conversations. They challenge authority, celebrate diversity, and stand up for those in need.
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#2
Green Bunny
#3
Elon Mask - Padua, Italy
Jennifer Gray 3 months ago
Somebody should make this into a t-shirt on Amazon. I would by one lol
AmyBcat 3 months ago
With Bezo's bug-eyed explodadome on the back? Total sell-out!
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According to ilustromania.com, the street art movement is rooted in the graffiti culture of urban centers like New York and Philadelphia, where artists used public surfaces as canvases for personal expression.
"Early graffiti artists developed unique tagging styles, creating intricate lettering that became signatures of their identities. These tags and stylized calligraphy reflected a desire to claim space and assert individuality within a crowded and impersonal urban environment," explains the art site.
#4
UK ,maidstone ,kent
R1MV4Superleggera 3 months ago
Wow! That is a gorgeous work of art! Congrats to whoever did it!
#5
This Cow Being Abducted
#6
3D Illusion By Smates In Kessel-Lo, Belgium
What was once tagging evolved into visual storytelling, as graffiti artists started experimenting with new tools and techniques, including stencils, wheat-paste posters, and spray paints.
"By the 1980s, figures like Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat began gaining recognition for their ability to transform graffiti into visual art that communicated powerful messages," notes ilustromania. "This expansion pushed street art beyond its subcultural origins, challenging traditional notions of art and its place in society."
Today, it's one of the most impactful and accessible artforms around the world. But it's not welcomed by everyone...
#7
The Wrong Amazon Is Burning
#8
Afghanistan
#9
Beautiful Mural Street Painting In Netherlands, By Jan Is De Man
Olga Sushko 3 months ago
It's in Russia, all the books are in Russian. It is discussed in the source Reddit post
Angrywolf 3 months ago
You are correct, the pic is wrong. This is the one Jan is de man has made: https://kr.pinterest.com/pin/527061962641997907/
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Every now and again, we'll see a news report about a street artist arrested for trying to make their mark, and get their message across.
Earlier this year, 21-year-old Jack Gibson-Burrel, was detained in Melbourne, Australia. The creator of the infamous “Pam the Bird,” was charged with 50 offenses including criminal burglary, motor theft and around $100,000 worth of graffiti-related damage.
#10
Politicians Discussing Climate Change
Lee Roar 3 months ago
Have you researched "Global Warming" at all? Or do you just regurgitate what the particular smart guys say on your favorite news or podcast? Because, get this, I'm old enough to remember how just a mere 50 years ago in the early 1970's Al gore and all the "Smart guys" of the day said that we were headed into an ice age and if we didn't do something in 15 years everything above the southern hemisphere would be a frozen, un-livable sheet of ice..! Global warming is terror tactic for a money grab to stop it from happening.. If you look at historical records, the ice caps melt periodical and seas rise etc.. its all a BS con to get us to throw a bunch of money at it.. do some research instead of blindly accept the wisdom of the talking heads that aline with your views etc..
#11
Nice Idea
Savannah greenleaf 3 months ago
Took me a second to realize the flame was painted on the wall. Impressively realistic.
#12
Don't Panic Organize
R1MV4Superleggera 3 months ago
Those cowards hiding their faces of ICE in the US make those who were in the gestapo look amateurs
Branden Brueggeman 3 months ago
Ice is following our constitutional laws. Perhaps if the last administration followed the law this wouldn't be happening
In case you've never heard of it, "Pam the Bird" is a graffiti tag that started appearing all over Melbourne in 2023. The cartoon bird made headlines after popping up in high-profile locations. From buildings and freeway signs to heritage-listed sites, no place was off-limits. Police started investigating the incidents in January 2024, and Gibson-Burrel were arrested a a year later.
"Pam the Bird" has had residents of the city divided, with some calling it street art, and others labeling it “pure vandalism.”
#13
The Rich Are A Luxury We Can Not Afford
Megan 3 months ago
Some... I've met a lot of wealthy people that donate at least half their income every year to shelter, churches, schools. Wealth is a means to help those that deserve it. I am currently working very hard with my partner to create a base layer so we have the ability to give back to the causes we care about. It isn't being rich or poor, it's about having good morals. If any of you were wealthy, how would you act? Dig deep and make sure you aren't just speaking into a mirror.
#14
[oc] Seattle, Wa
Johnnynatfan 3 months ago
I don't like this one. It give pigs a bad name. They are better than ICE agents.
Yrral Spavit 3 months ago
Instead of pigs they should be called LICE, much more appropriate.
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joseph legatt 3 months ago
It's time to change the narrative, it's not MAGA and ICE, it's N**i and Gestapo.
Branden Brueggeman 3 months ago
This is the kind of ignorance thats turning our world upside down. ICE is following our constitutional laws. Perhaps if the last administration followed the law, none of this would be happening.
Load More Replies... Verena 3 months ago
This is an insult to pugs. Pigs are by nature very friendly, social, clean animals who love to be cuddled. They are dirty and aggressive because customers demand and endless supply of cheap meat, which "requires" in the mind of the mass industry to keep them in dirty stables and prevent them from developing social skills. Yes, I do eat meat, from a small farm which treats their animals with respect
Stella Goldfish 3 months ago
Poor pigs, they don't deserve the name calling. Pigs are intelligent creatures.
Renaissance man 3 months ago
Keep doing a good job getting rid of all the criminals that have come over the border.
jl mac 3 months ago
Don't get me wrong . I have no love for cops, but there does need to be a clear message that we the people respect this country enough to keep the really bad ones out and try to help who we can through legal channels
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#15
‘Story Of Friendship.’ By Batist Vermeulen In Antwerp, Belgium
Serenity Rosana 3 months ago
There is a beautiful (but sad) story behind it as well, you can look it up by searching for 'Nello and Patrasche'. I named my son after it ❤️
Lotekguy 3 months ago (edited)
I'm completely content with the beauty of the image, so I really don't want to know the sad story behind it.
Load More Replies... Joshua David 3 months ago
In America someone would play on it, fall and bang up a knee and then sue the city because it's their fault that happened. American here.
April Pickett 3 months ago
That's because no-one here in the U.S.A. has common sense and/or a sense of responsibility for their actions.
Load More Replies...According to U.K.-based Artistry Education Hub, different places have different rules when it comes to street art. Meaning, in some cities, you need a permit to paint on public or private property, while others have designated areas where artists can go wild.
"The tricky part about street art is how people perceive it," notes the site. "Some see it as an eyesore, while others view it as legitimate art that beautifies or rejuvenates neighborhoods."
There’s no denying its impact though, adds the site. "It’s said that street art can increase foot traffic and promote local businesses simply by bringing attention to otherwise overlooked spots."
#16
Banksy’s New Mural Outside London’s Royal Courts Of Justice — Already Covered
Earonn - 3 months ago
Which was almost immediately painted over - and now you only see the outline, which makes it just more powerful. Britain is as much on its way into fascism as the USA, we're just a bit behind. But just like Americans, British are to arrogant and think they were "superior", so it "can't happen to them". I'll flaunt my EU passport at them when I can leave the country and they have t stay...
Simon Huggins 3 months ago
You think the same thing isn’t happening in other countries? In some ways, the UK is playing catch-up
Load More Replies... chunky hoey 3 months ago (edited)
Nothing wrong with a bit of fascism. We need take control in the UK. Stop Muslims and their belief on us and deport all illegals. Close the border NOW!!
Faye Bosworth 2 months ago
Your great grandparents would be ashamed to hear you support fascism.
Load More Replies... #17
Saint Luigi
Renaissance man 3 months ago
He's not a saint he's a m******r. He should get the death penalty.
nottheactualphoto 3 months ago
Even if true, it's still irrelevant to Luigi's character.
Load More Replies... #18
Wanna Play Hide And Seek With Wolf?
The Artistry Education Hub's experts warn that without the right permissions, graffiti (a common form of street art) can be considered vandalism.
"Vandalism is taken pretty seriously, with varying consequences depending on the location," cautions the site. "For example, in New York City, getting caught can lead to hefty fines or even community service. Some places even take it to the next level with potential jail time, especially if the damage is extensive or on historical buildings."
#19
Artist Unknown
#20
The Golden Legend – Snake Stairs By Sfhir In Guarda, Portugal
#21
New Banksy
Love it or hate it, street art is here to stay....
Cities around the world are becoming vibrant hubs of creativity. Artists from all walks of life are pushing the boundaries of what street art could achieve. And the internet is helping to keep works alive, long after they've physically disappeared.
As a street artist, known as INTI, once said, "If our creativities are guided by the public policies, we are not gonna be able to paint anything at all."
Let us know your views on street art in the comments section down below.
#22
Greenock, Scotland
Panda Kicki 3 months ago
Love how they incorporated the headband from the wall. Also, normalize breastfeeding in public, more of these, please!
#23
Cool
#24
Woman With Flowers In Hair, Bergerac, France
Joshua David 3 months ago (edited)
Imagine what the anti-maskers have to say about this? Any anti-maskers care to comment lol?
#25
Gorgeous Owl Mural
#26
Saw A Great Wheat Paste Today! Credit To Thevelvetbandit
SchadenFreudian Psychology 3 months ago
When I see one of those monstrosities, I point and laugh.
#27
Banksy's Latest Post On Instagram
Jrog 3 months ago
This is a very complex case. Guess apparently licensed some designs, including Banksy's, from a company called Brandalised. Brandalised is a very shady operation, claiming to hold negotiated licenses of major street artists worldwide; many artists including Banksy distanced themselves from this claim. Brandalised had one of their sister companies -Full Color Black, which prints greeting card ripping off graffiti designs- pursue a legal ruling challenging the copyright ownership for graffiti art and artwork by anonymous artists. Brandalised started selling Banksy's designs as their own, despite Pest Control (Banksy's own authentication firm) opposition. They "licensed" a design they did not own for products such as Bearbricks, causing quite a stir. They keep presenting the art as "collabs" and "having signed the rights", but they are effectively stealing from artists.
Jrog 3 months ago (edited)
Banksy post was very effective, showing that most of the fans and art community stand behind the artists and not behind the shady corporate thieves. They had to shut the stores for a couple days, despite Guess technically not being at fault being the licensee, and not the licenser. Nevertheless, they replaced the artist's signature with their brand name, another faux-pas. To compound this, few months later they did another campaign featuring unauthorized use of tags from two other artists. Bansky sued Guess over the theft, and Guess sued Banksy over "image damage", then Banksy sued Full Color Black again, and Full Color Black petitioned the court to expose Banksy's identity, the other two artists sued Guess, while Pest Control managed to have the first trial decision overturned... It's a f*ckup wrapped in a slightly larger f*ckup
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April Pickett 3 months ago
Stores, etc. should know from this to check carefully before they use pictures, etc. in their advertising.
Bisha Moten 3 months ago
Not really. A large part of the issue is places like "Shutterstock" which takes images from the internet, and files a copyright for them. If the original creator (such as Banksy in this case), doesn't contest that copyright, then the company keeps it. Later, when the company goes to their ad department, or an ad agency, that company signs a contract with the believed owner of the photo, without ever realizing that it was stolen in the first place. Here's a 2019 article going into some detail of the problems shutterstock (for example) has run into in the past. https://brutallyhonestmicrostock.com/2019/01/27/update-why-shutterstocks-copyright-infringement-problems-should-concern-you/
Load More Replies... #28
Ds Bad Kitty Graffiti Removed Then The Worker Who Removed It Reappears In Its Place. Islington, London, UK [620x387]
#29
Skeleton
#30
I Love The Way Its Tail Comes Down The Stairs
#31
Under Brondesbury Bridge (London)
Earonn - 3 months ago
True. Many British really have this mind set that foreigners should be happy to come to the UK in order to serve and enrich the country, to no benefit of their own.
Jules 3 months ago
Sorry I disagree with this. It's more anyone's welcome so long as they're willing to work for a living like the rest of us and contribute to society.
Load More Replies... #32
“Message In A Plastic Bottle” By Ergo Bandits In Portugal
#35
It's A Tiny Forest
Nikki Sevven 3 months ago
Has anyone read the short story "Surface Tension" by James Blish? That's what this reminds me of.
#36
Astilla Mural By Javier Barriga In Santiago, Chile
Japa Solitario 3 months ago
Wow! Check Google Maps! It's an entire complex! Multiple buildings as an open art Museum.
#37
1900 Street Scene Mural In Northern Chile
GlitterPanda 3 months ago
I feel like a Coyote with a stick of dynamite is about to run into that wall!
#40
Portugal
#41
Seattle, Wa [oc]
Rob Stevens 3 months ago
look up the 1988 movie "They Live". I never thought I'd be living through a live action version of it but here we go...
Load More Replies... Branden Brueggeman 3 months ago
Why is it the ones who hate Trump always the one calling king, and a god? Some people are way to obsessed.
#42
Aches, Iverna Seek
#43
“Space Tourism” By Ludo In Paris, France
#44
Mural In Lisbon Portugal
#46
‘Ninjago Terracotta Army’ Anamorphic Painting In Günzburg Germany
#48
Bali, Indonesia
General Anaesthesia 3 months ago
For those unfamiliar, this was probably inspired by a photo taken by Eddie Adams/Associated Press, during the Tet offensive of the Vietnam war. "Nguyen Ngoc Loan, the national police chief of South Vietnam, executed a Vietcong fighter, Nguyen Van Lem, in Saigon on Feb. 1, 1968" - Viet_s-68e...02b17b.jpg 
Bisha Moten 3 months ago
For those that can't follow it, the man who was shot, was an enemy soldier who was acting undercover to provide weapons to his allies leading up to the Tet offensive, and was suspected as helping to sabotage US and South Viet positions. Under the Geneva conventions, enemy soldiers who are engaging in acts of sabotage or combat, in civilian clothing CAN be summarily executed.
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#49
Corrected Military Billboard Spotted In Richmond, Virginia
SchadenFreudian Psychology 3 months ago
Cool! I live near RVA, and don’t remember seeing this.
nicholas nolan 3 months ago
Same, and nor do I. Shame that this is what we get on this list, though. There are amazing murals and graffiti all over town.
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#51
Thought I’d Share Some Of My Street Scenes Inside Recycled Spray Cans
#52
Shared This On The Graffiti Sub And Got A Lot Of Hate. Not A Very Friendly Group Of People. Still Learning Where I Fit In
The Big Bad 3 months ago
I like the flow of it. The folding and unfolding. You can play with it or add some stretching shapes to make it more dynamic if you want to. Look up some old school animation for great examples of stretching shapes. You're doing great, keep it up!
#53
Bethnal Green, London 🇬🇧
#54
London
Moon Cheese 3 months ago
This gives me Fall of the House of Usher vibes. That scene where the narrator describes a painting Rodrick Usher made of a tunnel where a light appears without a source. Its gorgeous 🖤
#55
A Couple Fun Nights Of Me Painting In A Tunnel In Sc
#56
Greenpoint Skull -- Took This A Few Years Back Walking Around Brooklyn
#57
Water Drainage, Seen In Dortmund 🇩🇪
#58
They're Trying To Paint Over The Banksy Sandwich Graffiti In Dc But They Keep Putting Out More
Bisha Moten 3 months ago
You ah, do know that the Brownshirts... the SA, were lead by an openly Gay man (Ernst Rohm), and there is evidence that being gay in the brownshirts, was an easy way to get promoted to a command position among them. The brownshirts were purged (majority of them shot or sent to concentration camps) in 1934.
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#60
Someone Had Fun In The Snow
nicholas nolan 3 months ago
Put ya hands in the air if youse a true playa.
Load More Replies... #61
Dmv
#62
I Was Told To Post This Here Because You Guys Might Appreciate It. I Spotted This In Downtown Houston
Moon Cheese 3 months ago
Yo man, I tell you what, dang ol street art appearing overnight like wooo alright there ya go man.
#63
Utility Box I Painted In Las Vegas
Dragons Exist 3 months ago
There are several utility boxes near me that the city paid to be painted
#66
Chicago Illinois
#67
Columbus, Oh
#68
Paste-Up In Seattle Depicting Luigi With The Unitedhealthcare Logo Crossed Out On His Backpack
#69
Does Anyone Know Who Created This? Spotted In Paddington, West London
SchadenFreudian Psychology 3 months ago
This needs to become an official international sign logo.
#70
Found In Mexico City (Artist @ekns01)
#71
I Was Very Inspired By The Little Street Art On The Railing. And Decided To Turn It Into A Bust. I Hope To Find The Original Author
#74
Brick Lane, London 🇬🇧
#79
London, UK
#80
Milwaukee Wisconsin
#81
Covered In 5 Days 🥲
Bisha Moten 3 months ago
Idiots. Don't cover the reporting marks and TARE marks. Remember the East Palestine derailment where the railroad wasn't entirely sure what was inside the various cars? This kind of vandalism, where reporting and TARE marks are covered over, is what leads to railroad crews having no f*****g clue what is inside their train cars.
Stella Goldfish 3 months ago
Shame, it was beautiful. They could have added their work and left her alone.
Bisha Moten 3 months ago
It's not. This kind of "art" as you call it, is dangerous. It's covering over important reporting marks and weight marks. Which may not seem import to you, but as I stated above, remember the East Palestine derailment, where the crew didn't know what was in all the cars... and emergency crews decided to burn off the contents? Well, if the reporting marks are covered over like this, the crews aren't going to know what's in the cars.
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Auntriarch 3 months ago
I love this kind of thing, so cleverly done, and cheers up a boring or grotty space.
SchadenFreudian Psychology 3 months ago
I love street art! It says the things that need to be said.
Auntriarch 3 months ago
I love this kind of thing, so cleverly done, and cheers up a boring or grotty space.
SchadenFreudian Psychology 3 months ago
I love street art! It says the things that need to be said.
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