15 Fun Facts About Famous Murals

1. My God, Help Me to Survive This Deadly Love by Dmitri Vrubel

The famous mural was removed by city authorities in 2009 in an effort to restore the entire wall and the works of art painted on it, many of which had by then deteriorated from exposure to car fumes and graffiti. “My picture is ruined,” Vrubel told Der Spiegel at the time. The Berlin city council paid the artist €3,000 to reproduce his work.

2. Mural das Etnias by Eduardo Kobra

This mural has 3,000 square meters. For the construction of the work, 1,800 litres of white paint were used at the bottom of the wall, 700 litres of coloured paint and 3,000 spray cans. The mural is 15 meters high and 170 meters long. Learn more about some of these murals on our blog!

3. We The Youth by Keith Haring

Originally created in 1987, it is the only Keith Haring collaborative public mural remaining intact and on its original site. We the Youth was painted to commemorate the bicentennial of the United States Constitution and the title plays on the phrase “We the people” from the preamble of the document. It was a pro bono collaboration between Haring, CityKids of New York and Brandywine Workshop in Philadelphia.

4. Kobe Bryant & Gianna by Mr. Brainwash

After the death of famous basketball player, Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others, a massive mural was painted in Los Angeles by famous pop mural artist Mr. Brainwash. The mural was eventually destroyed due to heavy rainfall but someway, somehow a piece of the mural was retrieved and auctioned off. The piece sold for $200,000USD, but the mystery remains how exactly the anonymous seller retrieved the piece of the famous mural.

5. Girl with a Balloon by Banksy

A 2017 poll revealed that Girl with a Balloon is Britain’s favourite urban art piece. The piece symbolises hope and love and their fleeting nature.  In 2014, the artwork was removed from the shop it was painted on and sold for over $800,000.

6. Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Elle Street Art

After Honorable Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away in 2020, a jaw-dropping colourful mural portrait popped up in the East Village, NYC. This New York City mural showcases aspects of Ginsburg’s impressive life. For example: The shade of blue behind RGB represents the Library of Congress’ ceiling. On her left is the Brooklyn Bridge, an ode to her childhood district. The beautiful mural also depicts the Statue of the Contemplation of Justice that’s outside the Supreme Court house.

7. The Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo

In 1508, Michelangelo, a 33-year-old Italian Renaissance artist, was working on a marble tomb for Pope Julius II in Rome. When the Pope asked him to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling, Michelangelo hesitated. He saw himself as a sculptor, not a painter, and had no experience with frescoes. Despite wanting to finish the tomb, he reluctantly accepted the commission. Over four years, he painted the iconic ceiling while periodically returning to Julius’ tomb project.

8. The Jungle Funk Mural by Mike Makatron

The Jungle Funk Mural was created by Mike Makatron as part of the Green Your Laneways project. It depicts a stunning array of flora and fauna, including an imposing Corpse Flower (Titan arum) and a Buddha’s Hand citrus fruit. This natural landscape dominates and envelopes the man-made structures and devices around it.

9. Faith in Women by Lady Pink

One of the few female artists to break the mould of street art, Ecuador-born, Queens-raised, Lady Pink, consistently celebrates the female figure through her murals. Faith in Women explores a somewhat feminised version of war; where a baby pink tanker nonchalantly runs over an unsuspecting rabbit, and dozens of guileless skulls congregate beneath a vibrant rainbow of colour. Chaotic, anarchic, turbulent and yet eerily childlike.

10. Defend Dignity by Shepard Fairey

Shepard Fairey has always used his creative streak to get political. As an opposition to the xenophobia in America, Fairey created murals featuring people from all backgrounds. “Los Angeles is a big melting pot with immigrants from tons of different communities, and of course, there’s a very strong Latino presence here. … It doesn’t matter what your ethnic background is, your country of origin, your skin color. Once you’re in the U.S. and you’re a citizen, you are equally an American and should have access to the American Dream.” ~ Shepard Fairey.