40 Stunning and Creative Graffiti Artworks
Graffiti represents an art form that is unrestricted, one that rebels against conventional forms of artwork. Graffiti is intertwined into human history, dating back to the Roman Empires where they were plastered onto walls to make political statements and satirize current events.
Modern graffiti achieves many of the same things – to state a message that doesn’t necessarily fit into the norms of society. In this collection, for your inspiration and adoration, we present 40 remarkable graffiti and street artwork.
This article follows and adds to an article written last year, entitled Tribute To Graffiti: 50 Beautiful Graffiti Artworks.
Remarkable and Creative Graffiti Art
? (please let us know the name of the artists in the comments!)
Collaboration between 3dom and Voyder
Various artists (MadPoster event)
Last Click
Watchmen Premiere Aerosol Graffiti Timelapse Video
MUTO a graffiti, wall-painted animation by BLU
Related Articles
You can also take a look at the following related articles:
Bubba
May 6th, 2009 7:04 amPretty sure the first one is Banksy.
matt
January 13th, 2011 11:18 amtop one is 100 present banksy…. look at the style and standard of work!
Bubba
May 6th, 2009 7:04 amNevermind, it said unknown when I first looked at it.
Rizwan
May 6th, 2009 7:21 amTruly inspirational….sad we dont have many in India :(
Niall McKenna
May 6th, 2009 7:31 amapparently the first one was done by a marketing agency on behalf of banksey, theres a story behind it on the flickr comments its above.
Greg
May 6th, 2009 7:32 amIn Mother Russia, wall graffitis you… :(
Lalala
May 6th, 2009 7:33 amThese are awesome. I really like these. It’s hard to find graffiti like this that isn’t covered by something else that’s stupid.
STPo
May 6th, 2009 7:33 amLots of pioneers missing…
Mode2, Daim, 123Klan and so many more! Disappointing.
Yobosayo
May 6th, 2009 7:40 amIf you like these you may also like some pics I took of graffiti on the West bank Wall in Bethleham by Banksy and others.
http://www.yobosayo.net/2007/12/24/the-west-bank-wall/
and
http://www.yobosayo.net/2007/12/24/banksy-decorates-the-israeli-west-bank-wall-in-bthlehem-for-christmas/
bycolor
May 6th, 2009 7:47 am… But still very good for the rest of us. :)
Michael
May 6th, 2009 7:50 amThat blublu video is incredible!!!! So much work for 4 minutes video!!!
Rusty
May 6th, 2009 7:52 amI love a lot of these, very artistic! Great work…
Don’t think too much about the simple ‘holy shit’ on red background though…I see a lot of crap like that around london that 12 year olds put out.
Love that animation movie though!
Jake
May 6th, 2009 7:55 amI really enjoyed some of banksy’s work around here in New Orleans.
Link
snnaqvi
May 6th, 2009 7:59 amGreat collection as always.
spritzstuhl
May 6th, 2009 8:00 amDon’t like graffiti in general because most look ghetto!
Alex
May 6th, 2009 8:01 amI absolutely love all of the Bansky… Its not enough to just throw something and hope people don’t get annoyed with it. Just like all art and design, you have to communicate a message and it has to be understood. Too abstract, and its pointless! Nice pics! =)
discoliam
May 6th, 2009 8:16 amthe peice you labeled as “Walt Jabsco” is by 3Dom and Voyder (I think). Walt Jabsco looks like the guy whos flickr acount you took the photo from.
FairFaX
May 6th, 2009 8:20 amCracow 2005 – http://www.clapsiq.rst.com.pl/img/papiez1.jpg
Sean
May 6th, 2009 8:20 amSome of these are just amazing. So many of them (like most graffiti in real life) are blah. If you’re going to force your art on the public by ruining property, you’d better be good. Or else you should get IDIOT tattooed on your forehead or something. How bout picking up another hobby like guerilla gardening?
mcclept
May 6th, 2009 8:22 amI think the the MUTO grafiti animation is amazing especially in this after effects digital world…but couldn’t help but think “what kind of ego allows you to cover entire walls of other people’s art”
Juhas
May 6th, 2009 8:34 amToo much photos from Banksy.
Many original work here : http://www.ekosystem.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5657
Tjda
May 6th, 2009 8:55 amHOW … Watchmen vídeo its fabulous
steve
May 6th, 2009 8:56 amgood sh*t! im a big fan of graffiti typography also, its amazing how creative these guys are
Thommy Browne
May 6th, 2009 9:06 amMore to check out:
El Mac
Os Gemeos
Known Gallery Artist (TSL)
Dalek
Mike Giant
Steve
May 6th, 2009 9:16 amThe one labelled Josh Blair is actually by Titi Freak from Brazil.
Adam Neate’s street work is definitely missing from this list – blows everyone else out of the water apart from, maybe, Banksy.
Elliott
May 6th, 2009 9:27 amYou should do a spot Os Gêmeos I think these guys are some of the most forward thinking people in the industry. They’re out of São Paulo, Brazil you should also check out some of the reverse graffiti projects as well.
Al
May 6th, 2009 9:54 amWOW!
rpsms
May 6th, 2009 10:20 am“Rebels against traditional forms of artwork?” Hardly.
Destroy’s other people’s property which is a direct theft of other people’s time, money and energy? Definately.
Lewis Litanzios
May 6th, 2009 10:22 amPretty bland selection (and post) TBH. A quick look over a http://www.woostercollective.com/ is more inspiring.
Can’t believe there’s no DAIM (http://is.gd/xhfS) in there for a start. Fafi, Antony Micallef, Buff Monster, Ripo, Zesk (http://is.gd/xhmn)…
http://is.gd/xhlS
http://is.gd/xhmV
http://is.gd/xhn5
http://is.gd/xhnr
http://is.gd/xhnB
There is more to life than Banksy FFS: http://is.gd/xhmv
L
Kelly
May 6th, 2009 10:34 amI have to wonder how much time these people spend on these pieces. Some of them appear to have taken so much time, I’d rather think they’re murals (commissioned or not).
On some of those pieces, the artist must have had to come back over a timeframe of several days to do the work. Because of how long it must take and how OBVIOUS it must be to the public that something’s going on (some of these works require a huge ladder), I’m thinking a large chunk of these graffiti murals are really done with permission by the property owner. If that’s the case, these things are more just murals than rebellious tagging.
The artwork in some is amazing. Just doesn’t seem quite so… revolutionary.
Wly
May 6th, 2009 10:38 amThe Grafitti as “Josh Blair” it’s a original brazilian Titi Freak.
: (
moa
May 6th, 2009 11:33 amthe first one IS banksy,
and you should have a look to a wonderful artist, but french (just joking !)
DRAN,
really awesome, …
Shane
May 6th, 2009 11:56 amBanksy’s amazing.
Sara McAllister
May 6th, 2009 12:01 pmI agree with Kelly. Most of these are actually murals and not graffiti. Graffiti is usually a hit and run job where you’re lucky to have enough time to finish something small before the cops are on you. These full color, full building wall jobs must be either commissioned or done with the consent of the property owner.
Keith
May 6th, 2009 12:41 pmholy shit i love you
is the handy work of Nathan Reimers
You can find more out here:
http://www.maketimetodesign.com/blog/2008/09/03/i-love-you/
Michael Parenteau
May 6th, 2009 12:55 pmWell… I think that the semantics of whether these are considered “graffiti” or “murals” is irrelevant in Smashing Magazine’s attempt to bring us a display of interesting “public” art on location! There are some really amazing pieces here and for that – I am grateful! There is something really special about taking a walk somewhere in an urban environment and coming across some stunning art. It gives our man-made worlds some personality! It is one thing to take a walk in the woods and see the beauty of nature… but architecture and mural-work is really neat… because we made that! Humans made that! I think it’s cool… and the “American Gothic”, where the woman is upside-down… is right by my house in Columbus, Ohio (Short North) where the Gallery Hop and “artsy” district is.
Janos
May 6th, 2009 1:00 pmSome are not really graffities. Not even one DAIM? :(
kevin
May 6th, 2009 1:06 pmawesome list guys !
hereyougo
May 6th, 2009 1:36 pmThe “Unknown” truck is by Swoon and David Ellis
Josh Blair
May 6th, 2009 1:54 pmThe one titled with my name is not by me, I just took the photo on a trip round London hunting out Graffiti.
It’s Titi Freak
graphiconcepts
May 6th, 2009 1:56 pmThese are incredible. Some great talent out there.
Soup
May 6th, 2009 2:20 pmThe one by “Walt Jabsco” is actually by Voyder & 3DOM.
Pal
May 6th, 2009 2:22 pmBanksy has done some cool graffiti in an extinct village in nothern Norway:
http://www.jimimoto.com/page737/page737_files/Norway_Graffiti_08.jpg
http://www.jimimoto.com/page737/page737_files/Norway_Graffiti_11.jpg
http://www.widelec.org/zdjecie,norweski-street-art-by-dolk-and-p%C3%B8bel,2446.html
Christian
May 6th, 2009 2:46 pmAlways loved Banksy work. We have his books and also a few prints.
Alex
May 6th, 2009 2:50 pmyou should chek out the work from CRAZY APES too. They are great.
Their Website:
http://www.ca-crew.com
lowgoes
May 6th, 2009 2:56 pmthe ? is swoon i believe …
the one that says anarchosyn is KOFIE …
Amy Stoddard
May 6th, 2009 3:46 pmI highly recommend the art of Justin Bua. While he’s not strictly a graffiti artist, his urban art is off the hook. http://bit.ly/w0Zfy
Harley
May 6th, 2009 4:08 pmWhere is Lister?!
http://www.anthonylister.com/
http://www.flickr.com/search/?ss=2&ct=6&w=all&q=anthony+lister+street+art&m=text
studio1683
May 6th, 2009 4:25 pmwonderful post.
blad3runn69
May 6th, 2009 4:54 pmawesome! thank u (:
ritzy periwinkle
May 6th, 2009 8:21 pmthe one you have by chele in la, is just a photo taken by this person.
the artists that worked on that piece are
WERC, VYAL, SEAK, OG ABEL
pixelvandal
May 6th, 2009 8:28 pmYou missed these pictures: http://www.alinga.com.au/?p=361#more-361
osloann
May 6th, 2009 10:12 pmI am credited for a sticker, the dog from Paris. Just to let you know, and I am very sorry that’s the case, but I am only the photographer.
Some great works you have collected here!
Fudgie
May 6th, 2009 10:50 pmTHe work labeled Claus Winkler is by Claus Winkler & REVOK MSK AWR and the work labeled ANARCHOSYN is by AWR/MSK (RETNA, REVOK, SABER I think). It would be nice if you took as much care in crediting Graffiti artists as you do designers!!!! (Just a personal Rant). Other than that pretty good overview bit hit and miss. Check out: Os Gemeos, The Mac, Delta INC, Bean, Dumbo, and TPG, MOA for the guerillas out there.
Guykes
May 6th, 2009 10:52 pmSome amazing pieces …
Does anyone have a link to youtube movies of guys making this kind of artwork from scratch? Should be interesting …
Taylor
May 6th, 2009 11:00 pmClaus Winkler is with Revok MSK/AWR if it hasn’t already been addressed. Credit where credit’s due!
Jason
May 6th, 2009 11:20 pmSome very impressive work… not much in the way of typographic pieces though which is strange as that is a massive part of what graff is about.
I recently came across this after seeing a piece in Graphotism: http://www.lovepusher.com/LOVEPUSHER_Artwork.html
clederson perez
May 6th, 2009 11:58 pmwhere are the graffiti by Os Gêmeos (the twins)?
http://www.lost.art.br/osgemeos_01.htm
Osito
May 7th, 2009 12:48 amPretty creative and awesome post! :D
thanks for the inspiration!
Steve
May 7th, 2009 12:51 amSorry to say that while there is some interesting work here, this article has been terribly researched – the amount of misidentified works is ridiculous.
@42 Pal
Those images you link to in Norway are by Dolk – not Banksy.
Mo
May 7th, 2009 1:01 amReally nice works, but as Steve said… poor quality of article. And this is not the only one. More and more articles in SM are pretty bad. I read SM daily, for a very long time, from the early days, but now I read less and less, because of the quality of articles.
MUTO rules, visit also the website, it worth taking more than a look.
For those interested, Artzmania – ARS CRIMES, it’s a must have book
Dr Case
May 7th, 2009 1:27 amThere are many pictures with the name of the photographer credited instead of the artist name:
Chele In LA – werk, vyal, seak.
tate modern – spok.
? (please let us know in the comments!) – swoon.
Steve Powers – ripo, above.
Spencer – Flan.
Dr Case – various artists (MadPoster event).
Paolo – Lister.
Josh Blair – TT Freak.
And many more.
Kristin Currier
May 7th, 2009 1:43 amDan Witz in NYC does some lush, understated stuff, please check him out: Link
Justin
May 7th, 2009 1:52 amGood to see 2 pieces from Bristol (UK) featured here. Street art and Graffiti are really strong in Bristol and deserve some recognition. If you are interesting in seeing more stuff from Bristol then visit this dedicated site http://www.bristol-street-art.co.uk
Steph
May 7th, 2009 2:23 amYeah – a couple of wrongly attributed pieces : the one of Alice and the Rabbits is by an artist called Dan and was done at the Cans festival last year. And the girls head you attribute to Walt Jabsco is actually a collaboration between 3dom and Voyder…
sdesaps
May 7th, 2009 2:32 amThere are some pretty graff,
but I´ve seen graff so much better only in my town…
Take a look to SAN, OKUDA, SUSO33…..
The real shit
Quakeulf >:3
May 7th, 2009 3:12 amThere’s some awesome graffiti near where I live, it even includes a :3 smiley face and I promise to God I didn’t do it. 0_:3 (smiley with attached halo)
Ulrike
May 7th, 2009 3:31 amThe ? is Swoon. You can see it in the movie about her “Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea” project.
Swimming Cities of Switchback Sea
Jacob Gube
May 7th, 2009 4:00 am@Niall McKenna: Thanks for sharing that, it’s an effective marketing stunt!
@Rusty: I agree there’s a big difference between simple vandalism and street art.
@Alex: I was actually inspired by Banksy. I was walking around town on a beautiful Saturday morning, and I saw an interesting book about him. Right after that, I saw an interesting mural right by the bookstore, and I stood there for 5 minutes just admiring it. I started by quest to find other street artists, and this was the outcome of that.
@Michael Parenteau: Yes, exactly! I think we all know what Graffiti refers to here: street art, or art that is shown in public areas, whether commissioned or not.
igarciaoliver
May 7th, 2009 4:16 amyou should check this guy’s work. pretty amazing
http://www.blublu.org/sito/video/muto.htm
damonabnormal
May 7th, 2009 4:29 amplease remove my name from the 1st image, the Banksy mural piece… I am a graffiti photographer and NOT the artist, I just took the photograph. Great photos all around in this article!
Tom Bradshaw
May 7th, 2009 4:37 amBanksy has alot to answer for! I particularly like the one by Peter Baker
ArleyM
May 7th, 2009 4:52 amNice work Jacob!
Camilo Oliveira
May 7th, 2009 5:51 amOs Gemeos, from Brazil, are also outstanding artists.
Check:
http://www.lost.art.br/osgemeos.htm
http://images.google.com.br/images?q=osgemeos&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:pt-BR:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=5OYCSoOHBJiNtgenj7z8Bg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&resnum=1&ct=title
nico
May 7th, 2009 5:55 amMUTO by BLU…. amazing work!!!
Jesse
May 7th, 2009 6:10 amSmashing, you make my day a better day.
NikaaOnee!
May 7th, 2009 6:32 amQee telaa dee paginaa =D
BeyonDesign
May 7th, 2009 7:12 amif you are a graffit fan, this will blow your mind
Link
Graffiti Archaeology — time lapse photos, of walls being tagged…several years worth of history on some walls. AWESOME stuff in here
Justin
May 7th, 2009 7:12 amOf course the first one is banksy The rats are his thing.
timboin
May 7th, 2009 7:58 amNice Graff,
shame the didn’t show thiss,
http://www.bierenbrood.nl this is really cool
James
May 7th, 2009 10:36 amobviously you haven’t been to Greece…
see this:
Link
Artist: Alexandros Vasmoulakis
B
May 7th, 2009 11:46 amI rather like this one myself.
http://www.usefilm.com/images/1/2/3/2/1232/315567-medium.jpg
JetSetWilly
May 7th, 2009 12:06 pmGraffiti in Barcelona link
Shawn
May 7th, 2009 12:15 pmThis is a great page of street art.Very inspirational Thank you
Casey
May 7th, 2009 12:27 pmthe one down as GC Four is actually Blaine Fontana… the link to the flickr page actually says it quite clearly too…
Alexis
May 7th, 2009 12:38 pmhi ! Very intersting.. I prefer Mario World !
I think you could put here some walls of the Adobe of Chaos :
http://images.google.fr/images?hl=fr&safe=off&um=1&sa=1&q=demeure+du+chaos&btnG=Recherche+d%27images&aq=0&oq=demeure+
vinc'
May 7th, 2009 12:42 pmhttp://media2.smashingmagazine.com/images/creative-graffiti-art/snake.jpg
it’s BONOM
vinc'
May 7th, 2009 12:42 pmthe snake is Bonom
[N!NA]
May 7th, 2009 1:05 pmthe first one is bansky
Dirty
May 7th, 2009 1:09 pmYes, the 1st one is Banksy.
zimski
May 7th, 2009 1:10 pmmostly boring…
there is fresh east european scene, but who cares.
lets copy and paste those who everyone saw many times.
RL
May 7th, 2009 7:10 pmHuge Stencil from Chile
http://www.flickr.com/photos/donlubbert/2432603084/in/set-72157603686022801/
gaurav
May 7th, 2009 10:22 pmMario …tipak tipak tik tik
Kuro
May 7th, 2009 11:30 pmYour “PaulGreen” piece looks like a Banksy too (Paul Green being a photographer of said piece)
phoe chan
May 8th, 2009 12:21 amVery Nice Graffiti Artworks Collection
Thank For share :)
l3utterfish
May 8th, 2009 3:11 amfirst its banksy , you can see the whole painting processHERE
fred
May 8th, 2009 3:44 amyou want to include the locations in the captions
Pawel
May 8th, 2009 4:00 amThe fisrt one is Banksy, you can find it on his website….
typograff
May 8th, 2009 4:50 amvery good selection! here have more : http://a-ham.com/typograff/?s=graffiti&x=28&y=5
Andy McAndy
May 8th, 2009 6:00 amJR in Rio is incredible. Hands down our fave street art of all time For more of the same http://irishstreetart.com
Meg
May 8th, 2009 7:25 amSome of these are pretty good. Some are crap. Frankly, I could do without the larger than life image of the over sexualized woman holding a gun. Because it’s not like culture doesn’t remind me I’m supposed to be a sex object for men’s pleasure ENOUGH these days or anything. *eyeroll*.
The American Gothic graffiti was pretty hilarious and classic. I wish there were more things like that to introduce more classic works into the public mainstream. Because that sort of thing actually beautifies a neighborhood. But just become some guy with spray paint does a big mural with a bunch of colors and abstract (read: looks like you’re on acid) doilies around something that doesn’t make sense doesn’t make it art. I don’t know why everyone thinks people who do this are so clever. They’re not.
I live in NYC, and really, I’ve had enough of graffiti. It’d be nice if I could go somewhere that the walls aren’t painted. Especially since a lot of those walls are the sides of people’s apartment buildings and homes. But of course these graffiti artists don’t care about that at all. They’re too cool to care if they’re defacing someone’s community and adding to their sense of despair. Trust me, nothing makes you feel like you’re living in a pit more than seeing some incomprehensible trash spray painted on the walls all around you.
I’d like to see how these people feel if somebody came and spray painted whatever they wanted on THEIR walls.