Ten of the most beautiful graffiti murals in the world from 2023
Street Art Cities, a platform born in 2016 to document the best urban art in the world, has selected the 50 best works with help from a jury of experts. Eight of the top 10 artworks are located in Spain
This graffiti made by Sfhir in Fene (A Coruña, Spain) has been chosen by Street Art Cities as the best of 2023. It was created during the inaugural edition of the Perla Mural Fest last August. Since its completion, this cellist has aroused enthusiasm among the local population for displaying a huge focus of creativity on this enormous surface. Sfhir skillfully used the shape of the nine-story building, including the light well, to integrate the mural with the structure, giving rise to a magnificent cello played by a female instrumentalist. At night the graffiti seems to come to life. In the mast area, when the neighbors turn on the lights in the stairwell, the frets of the cello light up, creating a visual wonder.David CouceA Dona do Estuario' (The Woman of the Estuary), by Lula Goce, is inspired by nature in the Spanish province of Pontevedra, more specifically the estuary of Baiona, with its unique biodiversity and natural beauty. In the graffiti, ranked second, a woman can be seen representing Mother Nature, who takes care of her environment and nurtures it so that the rest of living beings can live in balance. "Dedicated to my mother, for her strength, perseverance, and for being the best example of a woman I could have had," said the artist of her work.'Copora', by Yoe 33, can be seen in the city of Lugo, in northwestern Spain. Popularly known as A Castrexa, this mural that has achieved bronze on the list portrays the 'castrexa' woman who dominates the Ronda de la Muralla. "When you look at Copora my intention is that you feel that she could be your grandmother, or an ancestor," said the creator of the mural last January. "Some will like it a lot, others a little or not at all; it is interesting that people have their opinions, but my intention was that it should blend in with the environment of the city."
This mural by Tinte Rosa, which has no title, is located at number 19 of Ronda del Ferrocarril street in Miranda de Ebro (Burgos, Spain). It depicts a mother breastfeeding her baby, and was created at the request of the Amamanto association and within the framework of the world breastfeeding week to give visibility to this natural connection between mother and child.'The magic of dreams' is the work of Kato. This captivating mural transports us to a magical world where a little girl, enveloped in an almost nocturnal sunset, holds a starfish that illuminates her with its glow. The message is: "Even in the darkest moments, there is always a light that guides the way to our dreams," as explained by the Street Art Cities platform. The mural is located in the town of Fuengirola, in southern Spain.'Turing's dream' is a mural by the cultural association La Compañía de Mario. "From the primitive to the artificial", say its artists in Street Art Cities. This graffiti is inspired by the transformation of human beings and how they achieve comfort through technology. "Machines think they are real to us. The red is intensely primitive, featuring a robot that becomes and returns to nature with a beautiful portrait of an African woman, while the right-hand background follows the urban plot in the house," explain its creators. The mural is located on the Marqués de Ordoño road in the town of Los Alcázares, in Spain's southeastern region of Murcia.unoaisaac
'Brilla' is the title of this graffiti by Adry Del Rocío, the first in this ranking not found in Spain. The mural shows how fireflies, with their own light, teach us, in a metaphorical sense, to find our own inner light and illuminate our path. "This magic that brings us light inspires us to shine within ourselves and in our actions," according to its creator, who adds a gender perspective: "To illuminate the lives of women." The mural is located in the city of Puebla, Mexico.In the 8th spot for the best murals of 2023 is 'Gabriel,' by Djoels. "Gabriel is my model. What appealed to me most was a retired man, kind and looking like he had character. He spent his life at sea, months away from home, fishing. I heard exciting stories about him from women and children who were afraid he would not make it home safely. Now he makes miniature boats - a true artist!" says the Belgian creator about the man who inspired her work, located in the Basque town of Ondarroa, in northern Spain, where she stayed for three weeks as part of the Kaminazpi Artist Residency program. 'Flowers of the Future', by Ciclope, is the second mural on this list not found in Spain. This pair of Argentinean artists clings to flowers as a source of inspiration. They have graffiti displayed on multiple walls and buildings in Europe. This one, in particular, can be seen in the French city of Valence, and exposes the metaphor of dreams: "Sow today calmly, the flowers of the future will be ours."'Don Quixote and Sancho Panza', by Save Ink, was made in 2023 in the town of Castro del Río, in the southern Spanish province of Córdoba. "It is a composition about a warm sunset in my land, as in any summer afternoon, accompanied by a portrait of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza to his right, on horseback," the author told the daily 'Diario de Córdoba'. He did it in only 10 days. The project meant to commemorate the passage of the iconic characters of Cervantes' work through the Andalusian town.
If you want to follow all the latest news without any limits, subscribe to EL PAÍS for just €1 the first month