Street art is now present in almost every city, town and village in the world, from Aachen to Zwolle. Its true audience is measured in the billions.
And given that the first record of homo sapiens painting on walls is thought to date back around 40,000 years, it’s surprising that street art has taken so long to flourish.
Today, the proliferation of legal walls and organised festivals around the world makes it possible to encounter thought-provoking, transformative art in the most unexpected of places
Here's our visual guide to discover these incredible artworks hidden in plain sight around the world.
Berlin is a rich hub of street art. Post-reunification, an abundance of large, empty buildings, and a thriving counterculture have combined
to bring an influx of artists and musicians to the city.
Berlin
Artist: Cranio www.cranioartes.com. Location: Holzmarktstrasse
Artist: The London Police. Location: Neheimer Strasse
Artist: Word to Mother/Cyrcle/D*Face/Shepard Fairey. Location: Bülow Strasse. Painted for Urban Nation ‘Project M’ 2015
Dublin is making a name for itself on the international scene thanks to the forward-thinking Dublin City Council, which promotes and sponsors street artists.
Dublin
Artist: Conor Harrington. Location: Sycamore Street
Artist: Various. Location: The Bernard Shaw, Richmond Street
Artist: Fin DAC. Location: Rear of The Gibson Hotel, Castleforbes Road
Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has slowly been building a reputation as one of the most vibrant cities in the world for contemporary street art.
Kyiv
Artist: Guido van Helten. Location: Lesi Ukrainky Boulevard
Artist: Fintan Magee. Location: Strilets’ka Street
Lisbon is one of the best locations in the world to experience street art in all its forms.
Lisbon
Artist: C215. Location: Travessa dos Brunos
Artist: Aryz. Location: Rua Rodrigues Sampaio
Artist: Telmo Miel. Location: Rua Professor Pais da
With its reputation for revolution and love of the avant-garde, it’s
no surprise that France has taken graffiti and street art to its heart.
Paris
Artist: C215. Location: 188 Rue Pelleport
Artist: INTI. Location: 81 Boulevard Vincent Auriol
Artist: Seth. Location: Rue Emile Deslandres
There are even more artworks hidden in plain sight around the world.