International museums often exhibit artwork by renowned masters but the majority of people never see them and art that is not seen is wasted. So, I prefer outdoor galleries by talented, modern painters where everyone can enjoy them on a daily basis. Here are some of my favorite murals on the walls of the world.
Many people in Buenos Aires, Argentina, are proud of the fifty or more local artists who have adorned their city with street art. And some of their work, like this stylized bird and abstract face mural near Avenida Independencia, are terrific. Local and private tours are available for those who prefer their art galleries to be outdoors. The art is so modern that the spray paint can still be wet.
The tango dance started near the border of Argentina and Uruguay in the 1890s and its popularity spread across Europe and the US during the next thirty years. It’s rarely danced today, except in its birthplace on Caminito Street in the La Boca neighborhood of Argentina near Buenos Aires. Here you will see several swirling couples outside the colorful houses and narrow alleys. Even more couples are dancing in the clubs. This tango mural was found on the Descours & Cabaud building. It was constructed for a steel company in 1902 but has been abandoned for decades.
Caminito, Buenos Aires, Argentina
These taxis were waiting for fares in front of a mural with abstract faces and a lion in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The city’s walls are covered with these works of art. Some are political but most are decorative. If you’ve ever aspired to be a graffiti artist, there are aerosol workshops available for a couple hours of instruction. The spray paint is included in the price.
Broome, in Western Australia, has been defined by its position along the Indian Ocean. For example, in 1889 an undersea telegraph cable was laid from here to Singapore. Around the same time, Japanese flocked to harvest mother of pearl and cultured pearls. Broome is also very hot, with average high temperatures ranging from 84° to 94° Fahrenheit. So, to cool off, lounge with the nudists at Cable Beach. Or head to Matso’s Broome Brewery and order a tall Smokey Bishop. It’s a dark lager beer that’s won awards and is highly rated by the locals. It’s delicious!
29 Hamersley St, Broome WA 6725, Australia
Muralist enthusiasts will enjoy Hobart’s street art. Two of the best places to visit are Kemp Street and Harrington Lane where this rendition of The Joker can be seen beside his comic book archrival Batman. Numerous city walls have been used as a canvas by painters ranging from amateurs wielding a spray can, to local favorites like Jamin, to international talent including Smug. The Urban Art Walls project, sponsored by the City Council, also commissions artists to contribute to its outdoor gallery.
Harrington Lane, Hobart TAS 7000, Australia
Sam Bates, a.k.a. Smug, was born in Australia and lives in Glasgow. This internationally known spray painter specializes in everyday people. He has an extraordinary talent for creating giant, photo-realistic art. In 2017, he unveiled this four-story-tall mural on the wall of the former Spencer Street Power Station. Meet Smug’s grandparents.
Spencer St & Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
Almost every big city has street art. Often the graffiti is a visual eyesore. A few progressive communities have embraced talented artists to create beautiful murals. None compare to Hosier Lane in Melbourne. Enter this haven for spray cans along Flinders Street across from Federation Square. Every inch of this web of bluestone alleys is a forever-changing urban canvas. Some qualifies as art while others are nothing more than colorful scribbles. But judging from the crowds all taking photos, this is the city’s most popular attraction.
Hosier Lane, Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia
This colorful mural on a metal security door is an advertisement for the Wildcat Tattoo and Piercings parlor on the corners of Lange Koepoort and Zirkstraat in Antwerp, Belgium.
Lange Koepoortstraat & Zirkstraat, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Artist Henk Roozendaal was born in the Netherlands and moved to Bonaire in 1999. Since then, he has left his beautiful mark on the capital city with his murals. He specializes in capturing the faces of Bonaireans like this young woman on a bicycle. The artwork adorns the wall of a grocery store on Kaya Soeur Bartola. His paintings are also available in galleries and in a two volume set called, “Portraits of Bonaire.”
13 Kaya L. D. Gerharts, Kralendijk, Caribbean Netherlands
The five faces on the Eduardo Kobra mural at Píer Mauá are captivating. The eyes are intense. The expressions are etched with realism. Their costumes represent their native culture. This bearded man is a Huli Wigman, a clan from the central mountains of Papua New Guinea. He wears a traditional headdress fashioned from human hair and feathers. The yellow is a sacred clay worn by warriors and during ceremonies.
Av. Rodrigues Alves, 1031 – Saúde, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20220-460, Brazil
In preparation for the 2016 Summer Olympics, Sao Paolo artist Eduardo Kobra was commissioned to beautify a warehouse at Píer Mauá (Rio’s cruise terminal) with the world’s largest mural. “Etnias” is a remarkable work of art! The five engaging portraits represent indigenous people from Ethiopia, Thailand, Europe, the Americas and Papua New Guinea. Kobra’s message is people from every continent have different cultural traits yet everyone is united. This incredible street art measures 623 feet long and 51 feet high for a colossal 32,300 square feet of amazing.
Av. Rodrigues Alves, 1031 – Saúde, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20220-460, Brazil
There are several wonderful murals around Halifax. Few compare to this untitled vibrant street art by Jason Botkin. The painting portrays an octopus entangled with a fish and blue heron. Not sure of the meaning but it sure grabs your attention. Montreal-based Jason Botkin is a co-founder of EN MASSE, a community of 250 artists dedicated to creating fine arts on city walls.
1729 Barrington St, Halifax, NS B3J 2A4, Canada
Native son Leonard Cohen was one of Canada’s most famous and influential singers and song writers. He received countless recognitions for his nearly 50 year career including induction in three hall of fames (Canada Music, Canada Songwriters and Rock and Roll). In 2017, on the first anniversary of his death, this 21 story mural was finished on Crescent Street. The project leads for Tower of Songs were Gene Pendon and El Mac. Yet, 15 artists collaborated to create this tribute to Cohen.
1420 Crescent St, Montreal, QC H3G 2B7, Canada
The Old Brewery Mission is the largest homeless shelter for men in Quebec and the largest for women in Canada. On the West Pavilion wall is this Montreal Metro mural. The street art measures 75 by 78 feet. This painting was created by Jasmin Guérard-Alie and Simon Bachand in 2007. Apparently, the train is leaving the Lionel-Groulx Station.
915 Clark St, Montreal, QC H2Z 1J2, Canada
This bright red lips mural is near the Place des Arts performing arts center in downtown Montreal, Canada. The street art seems to blend the sensuality of Marilyn Monroe’s lips in an Andy Warhol print with John Pasche’s “Tongue and Lip” logo of the Rolling Stones.
Avenue du Président-Kennedy & Rue Jeanne-Mance, Montréal, QC H2X 2J5, Canada
This 900 square foot mural portrays early life in Quartier Petit Champlain and the Old Port. Among the citizens shown in this trompe l’oeil (three-dimensional) artwork are ship builders, a sail repairer and a woman watching for the safe return of her sailor husband. Also depicted is a crowded tavern and children at play. Historical figures include Lord Nelson, the British Royal Navy officer who won several sea battles during the Napoleonic Wars. Pointing to the map is Captain Joseph-Elzéar Bernier, the explorer who claimed the Artic for Canada. In the lower right corner is Franciscan missionary Father Frederic Jansoone. Another wonderful mural you will want to admire is La Fresque des Québécois near Place-Royal.
102 Rue du Petit Champlain, Québec, QC G1K 4H4, Canada
You are standing on the ancestral land of Aboriginals going back over 12,000 years. Pre-Europeans, the area was inhabited by the Mi’kmaq, Passamaquoddy and especially the Wolastoqiyik people. The latter’s name means “people of the beautiful river.” These hunter/gatherers were concentrated around the Saint John River in a community named Wikotik or, more correctly, Menahkwesk. The colonists called these First Nation people Maliseets or Malecites. This is one of two murals along the Harbour Passage Trail honoring these original inhabitants. The artwork by Emili Naish depicts Glooscap offering a pipe from his stone canoe. Also known as Gluskabe, he was an omnipotent hero in many cultural stories.
384 Harbour Passage Trail, Saint John, NB E2K 1K7, Canada
As you travel along Carlton Street at the intersection of Bleecker Street in Cabbagetown, your eyes will immediately gravitate to this train passing through a tunnel. The trompe l’oeil artwork was painted by Ryan Dineen in 2007. The realistic, three-dimensional mural is the perfect advertisement for the sponsor, Chew Chew’s Diner. Stop in! The highly-rated restaurant offers one of the best all-day breakfasts in Toronto. During lunch or dinner, you must order a milkshake to accompany your reasonably-priced meal. Yum!
186 Carlton St, Toronto, ON M5A 2K3, Canada
During the 1950s and 1960s, Yonge Street was alive with rock and roll, jazz, R&B and country western. Many young upstarts who would later become famous (like Bob Dylan and Conway Twitty) mixed with the already famous (like Dizzy Gillespie and Muddy Waters) in an always hopping, sometimes gritty nightlife scene in several clubs. Two enormous murals (over 200 feet in height) at 423 Yonge Street pay tribute to these artists. This first painting by Adrian Hayles in 2016 features nine music icons. This detail shows Shirley Matthews (Canadian pop singer), B.B. King (southern blues singer and songwriter), Gordon Lightfoot (Canadian folk-rock) and Oscar Peterson (Canadian jazz pianist). The second mural created in 2017 portrays 20 additional musicians.
423 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B 2H4, Canada
These eyes are a mural peering over a real Dumpster in Vancouver, Canada. It is a detail of a graffiti mural called “Cold War” that extends 250 feet down an alley between Cambie and Richards. It started in 2005 and is still a work in progress by Artist Collective – Cold World Media. The painted man resembles Sir Richard Branson, the head of the Virgin Group, with his wavy white hair parted in the middle. From 2003 to 2009, Vancouver’s Park Board sponsored 240 wall murals. They still have a program with competitions, policies, procedures and committees for gaining permission before spraying away.
401 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1L5, Canada
This prisoner smoking a cigarette mural is in Vancouver, Canada. It is a detail of a graffiti mural called “Cold War” that extends 250 feet down an alley between Cambie and Richards. It started in 2005 and is still a work in progress by Artist Collective – Cold World Media. The city has two programs that support wall artists. One is the Great Beginnings Program and the other is Restart. With so much graffiti art, several walking tours have emerged and some include cellular audio. The Eastside Mural Tour offers an interactive map on line.
401 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1L5, Canada
Arthur Chang painted this mural called “Seated Men on Corner in 1936” on Columbia Street in Chinatown in downtown Vancouver, Canada. The inspiration was a 1936 photo from the city archives of similar Chinese men sitting in front of the Sam Kee building, the world’s narrowest building at 58 inches wide. It’s one of a series that celebrates the Chinese people in Vancouver during 1884, 1936 and 1905. Mr. Cheng was born and educated in Beijing and also does sculptures, statues, garden art and portraits.
101 E Pender St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1T6, Canada
This stunning mural of two women’s faces is called “The Belonging Action” in Vancouver, Canada. Look deeper to see the stories of people who migrated to British Columbia. Melanie Schambach and 80 artists worked for five months in 2011 to create this colorful, 24 by 32 foot masterpiece in Harbour Center between Homer and Cordova Streets. It was partially funded by the Celebrate Vancouver 125 mural program. It is outstanding!
422 W Cordova St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2V2, Canada
An 1884 photograph called, “Wah Chong family outside laundry business on Water Street” from the book “Saltwater City” was the model for this mural on Columbia Street in Chinatown in downtown Vancouver, Canada. It’s one of a series that celebrates the Chinese people in Vancouver during 1884, 1936 and 1905. The artist, Arthur Cheng, was born and educated in Beijing and also does sculptures, statues, garden art and portraits.
101 E Pender St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1T6, Canada
When you see this mural at the Inner Harbour in Victoria, Canada, look up and you’ll see the exact same view. That’s the British Columbia Parliament Building in the background. There are constantly tour boats, water taxis and cruise ships at Ogden Point. Sea planes and helicopters are frequently landing and taking off. And the totem pole is a few steps away in Thunderbird Park next to the Royal British Columbia Museum. The only iconic view that’s missing from the mural is the Empress Hotel. But in real life, just turn your head to the left.
812 Wharf St, Victoria, BC V8W 1T3, Canada
There are 80,000 people living in Victoria, Canada, and also plenty of river otters, like this one posing in a downtown mural behind the Empress Hotel. This member of the weasel family typically weighs about 30 pounds, lives along riverbanks and shorelines, enjoys playful behavior and specializes in cute poses.
700 Trans-Canada Hwy, Victoria, BC, Canada
This colorful mural of a woman in a Venetian theater mask graces the entrance to the Rainbow Stage outdoor theater in Kildonan Park. It was painted on 8,000 square feet of concrete in 2011 by Mandy Van Leeuwen and Michel Saint Hilaire.
Kildonan Park, 2015 Main St, Winnipeg, MB R2V 2B9, Canada
One look at this three-dimensional mural on Smith Avenue called “St. Regis Hotel est. 1911” and it is easy to see why this 5,600 square foot painting was named the Mural of the Year in 2003. It is the work of Charles Johnston. Charlie has won the award four times. He is one of the most prolific and talented muralists in Winnipeg.
285 Smith St, Winnipeg, MB R3C 1K9, Canada
I always admire how an artist’s talent can convert an ordinary and often drab building’s façade into something exciting. This bright red, high-heel boot with a zipper and shoelaces transformed a door, stucco wall and a locked utility panel into a canvas for vibrant street art.
This woman’s red shoe mural was seen on a storefront in Arica, Chile. But I would not suggest wearing these pumps while walking up the Morro de Arica which overlooks the city’s downtown. The steep hill rises 456 feet above the Pacific ocean below.
According to the cultural development director of Valparaiso, the city promotes graffiti as long as it is of a creative nature. As a result, vibrant street art fills nearly every flat surface in Valparaíso’s neighborhoods. The kaleidoscope of colors and designs would make Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso envious. An example is this mural of a woman with a red eye mask, blue face, pink lips and wearing a bird headdress.
In 2012, a Valparaíso-born artist named Inti Castro painted this mural spanning three buildings. This sideways image is a stylized Ekeko, the Andean god of luck and prosperity. His artwork commonly features puppet-like faces and has become iconic in a city filled with murals. INTI, whose Incan name means Sun, has gone on to be a world-renowned artist with enormous outdoor works in India, Spain, Germany, Poland, Sweden, France and several other countries. This delightful painting is best viewed from the overlook along Paseo Atkinson in Cerro Concepción
Paseo Atkinson 106, Valparaíso, Región de Valparaíso, Chile
The Historic Quarter of Valparaíso is a virtual outdoor art gallery. Usually a street artist paints alone to create artwork reflecting their unique style and expression. However, they will often work as a team on elaborate and oversized murals. This is a detail of a huge mural created by INTI, Lrm, Cern, Cekis and Sker. Several of these accomplished painters are part of a group called STGO Under Crew.
The rusted metal box wedged into the seawall of the Bocagrande beach seemed like an odd canvas for a painting. However, the colorful images are immediately recognizable as the city’s landmarks. They are, from left to right, a sentry tower on the defensive wall, the Torre de Reloj or Clock Tower, and the Cathedral Cartagena’s belfry.
Bocagrande Beach, Cra. 1, Bolívar, Colombia
While a building across from the Cathedral Cartagena was being restored, a protective wall had been erected. Artist Olrando Morillo used it as a canvas for this haunting mural. Some of the religious figures created in black chalk include: the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Profit Jonah who was swallowed by a whale, Moses and the burning bush, an angel protecting Daniel in the lions’ den, and two angles on top of the Ark of the Covenant.
Cra. 4 #34 - 49, Cartagena, Bolívar, Colombia
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone was born into a wealthy family in 1181 and enjoyed the high life until he had a vision early in the 13th century. He then lived among the poor and began preaching. Soon afterwards he founded the Catholic Order of Minors, better known as the Franciscans. Along the walls of the Franciscan Monastery are a dozen frescos depicting scenes from the life of St. Francis of Assissi. This one shows him arriving on shore during one of his sea voyages to spread the Gospel. The museum also contains over 20,000 historical items including 1,200 manuscripts.
Placa 2, 20000, Dubrovnik, Croatia
This mural shows what Emperor Diocletain’s retirement home looked like when it was built in the 4th century on ten acres in Spalato, now called Split. Surprising, many of the original walls surrounding the opulent Roman palace are still standing. The figure wearing the mitre is Saint Domnius. He was the Bishop of Salona until he was martyred by the emperor in 304 AD. In his left hand is the city of Split.
Che Guevara was a prominent leader during the Cuban Revolution along with Fidel Castro. The revolt began in 1953 and ended with the ouster of President Fulgencio Batista in January of 1959. This victory lead to the formation of the socialist state. As a result, Guevara is considered a hero by the Communist Party. This mural – located at the intersection of San Ignacio and Santa Clara streets – resembles a photo taken of Guevara by photographer Alberto Korda in March of 1960. The image has grown into a cultural symbol of rebellion against the establishment.
San Ignacio and Santa Clara Streets, La Habana, Cuba
Another painting on the Comite Municipal Habana Vieja building portrays the men who led the Cuban Revolution until the overthrow of President Fulgencio Batista on January 1, 1959. Pictured left to right are: 1. Che Guevara (1928 – 1967): Third in command of Cuban rebels, he was executed in Bolivia in 1967. 2. Camilo Cienfuegos (1932 – 1959): The “Hero of Yaguajay” was a Comandante during the revolution and then Chief of Staff of the Cuban Army until killed in a plane crash in 1959. 3. Julio Antonio Mella (1903-1929): A founder of the Communist Party of Cuba who was assassinated in 1929. These three portraits also comprise the logo for the Young Communist League in Cuba. Unión de Jóvenes Comunistas (UJC) was founded in 1962.
This mural of late-19th century Cuban heroes is on the exterior wall of the Comite Municipal Habana Vieja, the building housing the Communist Party offices in Old Havana. Pictured left to right are: 1. Carlos Manuel de Céspedes (1819 – 1874): The “Father of the Homeland” advocated abolition of slavery and freedom from Spain leading to the Ten Years’ War (1868 – 1878) during which he was killed by the Spanish in 1874. 2. Máximo Gómez (1836 – 1905): major general during the Ten Years’ War and military commander during the Cuban War of Independence (1895 – 1898). 3. Antonio Maceo (1845 – 1896): The “Bronze Titan” was lieutenant general and second in command during the Cuban War of Independence until he and Gómez’s son were surprised and shot by Spaniards in 1896. 4. José Martí (1853 – 1895): The “Apostle of Cuban Independence” wrote the Manifesto of Montecristi in 1895 – the foundation for the Revolutionary Party of Cuba – before dying in the Battle of Dos Rios.
The street art in Curaçao ranges from simply graffiti to beautiful paintings worthy of any city’s outdoor gallery. Some murals are fun to look at like this male caricature along Plasa Piar. I am not sure it has a meaning, but it is an artistic way to dress up an otherwise boring doorway.
Plaza Piar & Gouvernementsplein, Willemstad, Curaçao
In a city famous for its brightly colored buildings, talented local artists still find huge canvases to create their beautiful street art. This engaging mural called “Urban Angel” is the backdrop for a parking lot on Kuiperstraar Street. Created by Garrick Marchena in 2009, it was his first outdoor painting. Since then he has produced at least a half dozen more large murals around Curaçao. He obviously has a long and productive future ahead.
Kuiperstraat, Willemstad, Curaçao
This mural of a full-size humpback whale celebrates their annual migration to Samaná Bay. After thousands of Atlantic humpback whales travel from as far away as Iceland and Greenland, they begin arriving in mid-December. Through the end of March, unattached whales will find a mate and breed. Simultaneously, because the gestation period is almost 12 months, pregnant females give birth to their single calf. These offspring weigh more than a ton. They nourish the newborn with up to 50 gallons of breast milk a day before the long swim back to their summer waters. Watching these giant sea mammals in the bay is incredible. You will also want to visit the Whale Museum of Samaná. Among the fascinating exhibits is the skeleton of a 40 foot whale.
Calle Adriano Horton, Samaná 32000, Dominican Republic
This dry-docked wooden boat features a mural of creatures endemic to the Galápagos living above and below the sea. The painting was sponsored by WildAid. This environment conservation company is based in San Francisco, California. Their mission is to reduce the marketing and purchasing of wildlife products and to apprehend poachers. The group has a field office in the Galápagos Islands to help protect the Galápagos Marine Reserve.
Avenida Charles Darwin, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, San Cristóbal, Ecuador
Along a wall of the Municipal Cemetery is this vibrant mural of a Galápagos short-eared owl. The street art was painted in 2017 by Clovis Patiño. The artist has additional work displayed at the Charles Darwin Exhibition Hall. This predator lives across the archipelago but is most often seen at Genovesa Island. If you are lucky, you might also spot a Galápagos barn owl on three islands including Santa Cruz. This wall is a frequent canvas for owl paintings. Some locals believe the birds carry souls to heaven.
General Cemetery of Puerto Ayora, Avenue Charles Darwin, Puerto Ayora, Ecuador
The most famous staircase in Guayaquil is the 444 steps leading up to Lighthouse of Cerro Santa Ana. Yet the most beautiful stairs are adorned by this mural at Cerro del Carmen (Carmen Hill). The 2017 painting by master watercolorist Gonzalo Amancha features endemic flora and fauna. The artwork was the first initiative commissioned by the city under Project Guayarte. The goal is to attract and reward talented artists to transform aging neighborhoods into inviting communities for Ecuadorians and tourists.
Sgto Buitrón & Pedro Carbo, Guayaquil 090313, Ecuador
Ecuadorians love the hummingbird. This small country has over 130 species that flutter forwards, backwards, upside down or just hover along the Pacific coast, in the major cities, and up towards the peak of the Andes and Chimborazo Mountains. The smallest ones beat their wings 70 to 80 times a second while their heart beats 600 times per minute. Their ability for vibratory or suspended flight allows them to feed on a flower’s nectar, as demonstrated in this hummingbird mural in Manta, Ecuador.
This almost cartoonish mural in Manta, Ecuador, is a Pacific green sea turtle, whose scientific name is Chelonia Mydas. Assuming they make it safely to the water after hatching, they can live up to 80 years. The male typically grows up to five feet long and 150 to 420 pounds. They live mostly in tropical areas in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Females have been known to swim up to 1,600 miles to return to their birthplace to lay their eggs every two to four years.
In a public square next to the Basílica de Santísima Virgen de Monserrat Catholic church is this elaborate mosaic of Jose Eloy Alfaro Delgado in Montecristi, Ecuador, where he was born in 1842. He was a leader of bitter civil wars during the late 19th century. Then he became a two-term President of the Republic of Equator after winning the 1895 Liberal Revolution. Despite his dictator style, he implemented several advances including a national railroad. In 1912, after several political skirmishes, he was arrested and later murdered by a street crowd.
Parque Central, Montecristi, Ecuador
A fortified keep was one of the first structures in today’s Dresden near the start of the 13th century. Over the centuries, the rudimentary residence evolved into Dresden Castle. It is also called the Royal Palace or Residenzschloss because this was home to ruling electors (1547 – 1806) and kings (1806 – 1763). In 1871, artist Wilhelm Walther was commissioned to paint an elaborate mural outside the castle wall. The alleyway is called Langer Gang (Long Arcade). The 330 foot artwork shows members of the House of Wettin on horseback. This family dynasty ruled Saxony from 1423 until 1918. The Procession of Princes also has images of scientists, artisans and farmers. After the mural began to fade, Fürstenzug was recreated in 1907 using 24,000 porcelain tiles. Somehow this visual gem survived the 1945 bombing.
Augustusstraße 1, 01067 Dresden, Germany
The bulging eyes and crooked teeth of this cartoon duck mural sits below a watchful gargoyle set in a cornerstone on a bridge near St. Lukas Protestant Church and the River Isar in Munich, Germany. It was the only recognizable character among layers of graffiti.
Mariannenbrücke, 80538 München, Germany
This mural under a bridge walkway in Munich, Germany, seems to be Nike, the winged Greek goddess of victory, strength and speed. It resembles the Nike of Samothrace statue from 203 BC that is in the Louvre Museum in Paris. Curiously, in her left hand, appears to be Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. This is a juxtaposition of the famous Athena image from the Parthenon in Athens, Greece because in that statue Athena was holding Nike in her right hand.
Mariannenbrücke, 80538 München, Germany