Public Art Around the World

Public art is a form of human expression that can be seen throughout space and time. This art form has the power to educate, inspire, and transform communities. Explore examples of this art by clicking on the cities below to read more about the history, creation, and reception of public art pieces worldwide.

*Note: Asterisks indicate that the piece is taught in the Core curriculum or by a Core teacher.

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Summer of Love Bus Posters San Francisco, CA, USA

The Hall of Bulls * Cave of Lascaux, France

The Wide Open Walls Project Mandina Nature Reserve, Gambia

Project Row House Houston, TX, USA

Shoes on the Danube Bank Danube Promenade, Budapest, Hungary

All The World Is Now Richer London, England

La Candelaria, Los Puentes, & Distrito Graffiti Bogotá, Colombia

Safe Passage Berlin, Germany

Street 93 Phnom Penh, Cambodia

National Palace Murals * Mexico City, Mexico

Work 2012 Tokyo, Japan

Forever- Danie Mellor Melbourne, Australia

Summer of Love Bus Posters

San Francisco, California, United States of America

In 2017, Deborah Aschheim created a series of bus stop posters commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love. She was one of three artists commissioned for this project by the San Francisco Arts Commission, but her special interpretation of the theme caused her work to be widely recognized. Rather than focusing on the hippie aesthetic that many associate with the Summer of Love, Aschheim made a point to emphasize the activism and desire for social change that fueled the movement.

When discussing the poster series, Aschhiem stated that “My project explores the intersection of political and social utopian ideas that drew people to San Francisco, from the Free Speech movement at Berkeley to the art, music, and lifestyle scene. These struggles and celebrations of conflict and liberation are linked by a foundational critique of capitalism and social conformity, and the questioning of America’s obsession with success and materialism. I want to place the Summer of Love in a larger context of radical activism, spiritual and social experiments.”
With this in mind, she created a total of 6 posters, each of which was formed through copious amounts of research at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz’s archives. In the end, the 36 posters were reprinted and featured on the streets of San Francisco between Embarcadero and 8th. The true genius of this piece is not only in her ability to communicate the history of a city, but to make it accessible. Rather than locking her illustrations away in a museum, they were seen by the everyday commuter. This gave people of all backgrounds the opportunity to see and read about the city they call home and the activists that helped build it.

Project Row House

Houston, Texas, United States of America

Located on a tree-lined street in Houson’s Historic Third Ward- one of the city’s oldest predominantly African-American neighborhoods- lies Project Row Houses, a nonprofit organization focusing on the power of art to revitalize communities. Their program is based on a block and a half of row, or shotgun, houses which have been converted into nontraditional studio spaces for artists. The idea began in 1993 with African American artists James Bettison, Bert Long, Jr. , Jesse Lott, Rick Lowe, Floyd Newsum, Bert Samples, and George Smith. Their goal was to turn a poverty-stricken area into one that could work to enhance the community, and since then the project has become a way to bring groups and struggling individuals together by encouraging creative expression and independent thinking. This kind of “social sculpture” (defined as the process in which people’s joined efforts for change can be approached creatively and become art) has allowed Project Row Houses to grow into a well established hub for social engagement and contemporary art to thrive.
The artistic focus of this organization manifests itself in the individual buildings, which are transformed into art houses that each contain a unique exhibition. The exhibits change biannually, rotating to allow new and visiting artists to display their work for the public. Porch talks and block parties are used to celebrate the opening of these exhibitions, each of which is marked by a unique theme for creatives to explore. Examples of past exhibits can be seen in the photos above. The nonprofit’s work also centers on preserving and enriching its historically African-American neighborhood, which faces issues of gentrification. Using their resources, Project Row Houses has dedicated itself to working with other leaders in the community to combat food insecurity, encourage financial literacy, provide education on career opportunities and professional skills, and provide affordable housing. The preservation of Houston’s Row Houses has created a constant stream of art that focuses on the public good. It is a prime example of the ability of art to enrich a community in tangible, positive ways.

La Candelaria, Los Puentes, & Distrito Graffiti

Bogotá, Colombia

There was once a time when street art was deemed a highly criminal offense by Colombian officials. Police kept a watchful eye out for graffiti artists, who would receive harsh treatment if caught. Then, in 2011, a pair of cops went too far- chasing and killing 16-year-old Diego “Tripido” Felipe Becerra for tagging a wall with an image of Felix the cat. Despite police attempts to cover the incident up, word got out. Citizens of Bogotá made their anger clear by taking to the streets in protest until the officers were arrested. The people’s demand for justice was a turning point in policy regarding graffiti. Now, street art can be found on almost every corner in Bogotá and serves as a creative way for the city to bring new life to a place with a troubled past.

The most significant locations for street art include La Candelaria, Los Puentes, and Distrito Graffiti. Bogotá’s history is best preserved in La Candelaria, and houses both the city’s oldest buildings and newest art. Paintings- both commissioned and independent- can be found on every type of surface available, from hostels to cultural houses to shipping containers. The passion and desire to create is obvious when one sees how the city’s artists have turned everything they can find into a canvas. Many of the paintings have gained widespread recognition, and the street art movement has even drawn in artists from across the world, who travel to Colombia to make their mark.

In Distrito Graffiti, two blocks worth of massive industrial buildings were painted and transformed thanks to the contributions of the area’s Secretary of Culture. Once again, both local and international artists collaborated to bring joy to an area of the city previously untouched. Finally, one of Bogotá’s most breathtaking collections of public art can be seen in Los Puentes. The art here is an example of macro murals- which are painted across a series of houses to create a larger image. The whole piece can usually be viewed at one specific focal point. These macro murals are a strategy to breathe new life into low-income barrios on the outskirts of the city. It is very difficult to doubt the success of these projects when one sees the sprawling beauty of the paint. This is especially true in Los Puentes, where a total of 383 houses were painted. In Colombia, street art was born from activism and its beauty continues to uplift people across the country.

National Palace Murals *

Mexico City, Mexico

Created over a span of six years, Diego Rivera’s murals in the National Palace detail scenes from the history of Mexico from 1521 to 1930. The epic chronology spreads across three walls in a grand staircase of the palace. The composition of the piece is chaotic and full of color, and features prominent figures and events in Mexican history. It begins by showing the native Mexica (or Aztec) peoples and then takes the viewer through Spanish colonization, the Mexican-American War, the Mexican Revolution, and even journeys into Rivera’s idea of an ideal future. In his mind, the future of the country was marked by a communist uprising of the working class against their oppressors. His goal was to tell the story of his homeland as truthfully as possible- highlighting both beauty and victory and the ugliness and violence that occurred throughout the years.

The murals began as part of a government project to establish a new national identity after the Mexican Revolution. Part of the project’s goal was to abandon Eurocentrism in Mexican culture and begin to celebrate the nation’s indigenous heritage, which Rivera makes sure to highlight in his work. Ultimately, the state-sponsored murals succeeded in working towards the birth of a new identity. Part of the reason they were so influential was because of the fact that the art was public. Traditional forms of painting often limited viewership to the aristocracy. Murals, however, were open to people of all walks of life. It allowed the entire population to participate in a piece of culture while simultaneously educating them about their history. It gave them hope for a new future and renewed a sense of national pride and connection to a past they otherwise would not have known.

The Hall of Bulls *

Cave of Lascaux, France

When people hear the term “public art”, many likely immediately conjure up an image of a bronze statue in a park, a contemporary sculpture, or a mural on the side of a building. We believe that this art form is new, when in fact it is a style that has existed for centuries. The definition of public art only requires that the piece is done in a public space for the general population to enjoy. Therefore, the centuries-old paintings found in France’s Cave of Lascaux can be considered some of the world’s oldest public art.

The Hall of Bulls is a series of cave paintings spanning just over 11 feet long. The drawings contain depictions of animals such as bison, deer, horses, lions, elk, and more in vibrant reds, yellows, browns, and whites. The color palette is limited, but a variety of techniques ensure that every form stands out. Some images are in full color, while others are simple line drawings or directly carved into the ceiling. Besides animals, abstract lines and shapes are included with simple human figures. Together, the paintings create a feeling of movement across the wall.

At the time of the painting’s creation, the caves were inhabited by early humans trying to survive an incredibly harsh environment with few resources. However, the region would have let those living here observe the migratory patterns of the animals in the area. As a result, historians have inferred that the animals painted on the walls were ones cave dwellers had seen in the area and were hoping to hunt. Evidence shows that the actual act of painting was ritualistic and repetitive. As a result, the paintings are believed to have been a method of bringing about a good hunt in order to keep their community alive. Although the paintings were primarily for survival, they now serve as proof that although public art itself has changed with time, the goal of helping one’s community through creativity has not.

Shoes on the Danube Bank

Danube Promenade, Budapest, Hungary

Created by Can Togay and Gyula Pauer, this memorial is proof of art’s ability to educate the public and preserve history. The piece is composed of 60 pairs of iron shoes frozen perpetually standing on the Danube River Bank- quite literally frozen in time. Such a simple piece immediately catches one’s eye, both because of the sheer amount of shoes crowded together and for their detailed and realistic rendering. Each shoe is crafted with intricacy and precision, making them appear as if they were really made of cloth and could be picked up and worn. The empty shoes inspire questions: Whose shoes were these? Why were they left behind? It is these questions that guide viewers towards the educational aspect of the piece.
The shoes are a memorial for the Hungarian Jews murdered in Budapest during World War II. When people encounter the piece, they learn of the victims who were ordered to remove their shoes before being executed and washed away by the river. Observation of the shoes not only lets people learn about this piece of history, but makes the moment incredibly personal- especially when one observes all the different shoe shapes and sizes that were included. Men’s, women’s, and children’s shoes are all present, exemplifying the horror of this act. The artists specifically chose to represent shoes both for their value as a commodity during the war and to make the memorial relatable. People can look at the sculptures and see something they encounter every day- a mundanity often taken for granted. Through this memorial, the memory of those lost in the Holocaust can live on, and all who come across it can learn about their history: the first step in ensuring they won’t repeat it.

Safe Passage

Berlin, Germany

Few artists exemplify art’s ability to educate and advocate better than Ai Weiwei. Best known for his 2010 installation in the Tate Modern, “Sunflower Seeds”, this groundbreaking conceptual artist is known for his boldness and political messages. Much of his activism centers around criticising the Chinese government and their views on democracy and human rights. However, in 2016, he expanded his audience and his message with his life jacket installations across Europe and America.

In each iteration of the installation, Ai Weiwei ties together thousands of brightly colored life jackets- formerly worn by Turkish refugees who found sanctuary in Greece. The Greek Island of Lesbos donated them to the artist, who reinstalled them in various cities for years. The first, and most famous, version, however, was at the German Konzerthaus in Berlin. Here, 14,000 jackets were tied up to the pillars of the concerthouse overnight. The installation shocked the public and garnered international attention due to coinciding with that year’s Cinema for Peace Gala: part of the annual Berlinale film festival. His art garnered outrage and criticism, but the unapologetic artist never backed down. His ultimate goal has always been to raise awareness and make people think. The installation’s shocking nature certainly accomplishes this goal, especially because it is always visible by the public. The sheer amount of jackets force people to consider the lives lost in the process of migrate and reflect upon how capital, goods, and certain powerful individuals can cross borders with ease while those in need cannot.

Work 2012

Tokyo, Japan

Littering, trash, and other products of consumerism have become such an ingrained part of our world that waste often goes unnoticed. Work 2012 urges the public to take a closer look at their own habits of consumption by confronting them with a larger-than-life trash can filled with waste. Artist Kimiyo Mishima utilized clay arts and silkscreening to create huge pieces of breakable garbage. Each item within the bin is a replica of popular, commonly consumed brands. The piece features Coca Cola boxes, flyers, food containers, food remnants, and more- all made from delicate ceramic with designs printed over. In the case of Work 2012, the local community and any passerbys or visitors to the nearby hotel are made to confront their own habits head-on. The piece is a call for action and improvement designed to make people introspect.

The Wide Open Walls Project

Mandina Nature Reserve, Gambia

Street art contains a unique ability for self expression that compels artists across the world. In every major city, murals like those being painted in rural Gambia can be found. The project began in 2010 by founder Lawrence Williams. This great initiative serves a variety of purposes- from education to the strengthening of local communities in Gambia. It accomplishes these goals by encouraging an intercultural approach, which invites artists from around the world and across Gambia to create unique paintings and murals. Some notable artists include England’s Sickboy and American street artist Know Hope. Their recognizable style helped gain international recognition and support from fellow artists and fans.

The murals created by the project not only bring new visual life to the area by adding color and vision to broken down buildings, but works to improve the lives of locals. By inviting renowned artists, Wide Open Walls has turned the area into a tourist destination, helping to increase income and supporting new jobs. Even more valuable, though, are the emotions such creativity fosters. These murals help to create a sense of togetherness and pride for those who call the villages of Mandina home. Furthermore, by inspiring people to travel to Gambia to view and create art, foreigners are better able to experience Africa in a new way. The unique perspectives gained during this project have inspired artists and visitors to keep returning, and today the murals have expanded throughout the Gambia River Plane.

All The World Is Now Richer

London, England

“All The World Is Now Richer” is one of the single greatest examples of how art can revive the stories of the past. Created by Nigerian artist Sokari Douglas Camp, these six large steel sculptures have traveled across London to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery. Each figure represents different stages of what she describes as “the slavery saga”- moving from the very beginnings of the slave trade to the modern day. It begins with a figure wearing indigenous robes, who she calls “The First Man”. Following him are figures of the Atlantic slave trade: a large, formidable plantation worker and a domestic serving woman. Then, the figures transition to representations of the post-liberation era: a Sierra Leonean woman in a “19th-century Creole dress”, a man wearing a 20th-century business suit, and a young man in a relaxed T-shirt and jeans.

The outward appearance of these figures takes viewers through centuries of history, but the most important part of the installation is seen just behind the statues: in their “shadows”. The interpretive shadows contain long lines of text which form a quote adapted from a Quaker abolition campaign. Together, they say “From our rich ancestral life, we were bought, sold, and used. But we were brave, we were strong, we survived. All the world is now richer.” What Douglas wanted to focus on most was the idea of bravery- to not only look at the horrors of the slave trade, but the unshakeable spirit that kept those enslaved individuals alive. She was inspired by the words of ex-slave William Prescott: “They will remember we were slaves, but will not remember we were brave”. Making public the memory of this bravery was her greatest inspiration for the sculptures.

What is equally as important as the content of the work is its location. The piece toured from 2010-2014, and was housed in some of the most prestigious and historic buildings in London- including St. Paul’s Cathedral and The House of the Commons. Bringing them to these locations allowed Douglas to remind those who see it that their greatest monuments and most celebrated history was created through the use of slave labor. The installation’s original location- in Burgess Park, part of the borough of Southwark- served a similar purpose. From there, the content of the piece could be juxtaposed with clear views of Tower Bridge, the Tate Modern, Westminster, and more. Especially essential, though, is what it meant to the community within that borough- one that is predominantly poor and with a large African population. By displaying it here, Douglas hoped to create a sense of pride in the black community for the bravery displayed in each sculpture and story.

Street 93

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

While countries such as Colombia and Gambia have allowed-and even welcomed- street art and public murals, there are still other nations where such creativity must flourish in spite of their governments. Cambodia is one such country. Here, the street art scene has had a slow start, as many pieces will end up being whitewashed over as quickly as they are created. However, in the nation’s capital, Phnom Penh, certain locations have been able to protect and maintain their colorful paintings.

Street 93 holds most of Phnom Penh’s street art. The location became a hot spot for artists to create and collaborate in 2014, when Marj Arnaud and Ludi Labile opened Simone’s Bistro and Art. They invited local artists to begin painting on the street around them, hoping to revitalize the area and bring in new creative vision. Even though the cafe is now closed, their vision has lived on thanks to the Cambodian Urban Art Festival. The festival’s two iterations thus far have attracted artists from around the world, whose pieces have been maintained to this day. As spaces for art such as Street 93 begin to expand, so too do opportunities for Cambodian artists to gain fame and recognition. One such example is Lisa Mam, Cambodia’s first renowned female muralist. Creative forces like Mam continue to bring new life and color into otherwise poverty-stricken communities, and build a sense of cultural pride and inspiration in new generations.

Forever- Danie Mellor

Melbourne, Australia

Each day, 26,000 people (or more!) see Danie Mellor’s massive print across the station’s facade. “Forever” was created to publicly celebrate Victoria’s Aboriginal peoples, the first ones to occupy the land. Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung women stand tall and proud in the prints- their culture is the main source of inspiration for the installation. The photos used real historical portraits sourced from the archives of the neighboring State Library Victoria. These portraits are combined with Mellor’s own infrared photography, which contributes contemporary landscapes for the figures to reside in. Ultimately, by permanently incorporating these images into Melbourne’s urban landscape, Mellour hopes to remind the public of how the knowledge of First Nations people is embedded in -and essential to- the physical land of Australia.