The world is a canvas: introducing the street art project

Here today, gone tomorrow. The transient nature of street art means it can be at risk of being scrubbed out and lost forever to its legions of fans. But long after the paint has faded from the walls, technology can help preserve street art, so people can discover it wherever and whenever they like. In a new project launching today, we’ve partnered with street art experts to bring you 5,000+ images and around 100 exhibitions in the Google Art Project—telling a story of street art around the world.

Starting today, you can immerse yourself in a world of prowling foxes frogs on lonely walls, supernatural symbolism, murals on a grand scale, tiny hard-to-spot icons, or trompe l’oeil techniques that use physical details of the wall itself to trick the eye.

From Poland to Portugal; London to Vienna, the styles of work vary considerably. There are stickers in France, sculptures in London and portraits of rappers on the streets of Malaga. It’s not just about spraypaint either—other exhibits demonstrate the signature style of the artist, like JR’s large-scale and evocative photo-portraits, Roa’s animals, Vhils’ acid etching or Os Gemeos' surrealism.

Regg and Violant, Centro Comercial Alegro, Setúbal, Galeria de Arte Urbana

Vhils using the texture of the wall as a canvas

Using Street View, you can also explore buildings with street art that are closed to the public, or that have already been demolished - such as the famed Paris 13 tower.


Agrandir le plan

Explore all nine floors and 450 square meters of painted ceilings and walls of the now-demolished Tour Paris 13 building, immortalized with Street View.

In a series of fascinating exhibitions by our partners, you can also learn about the origins of the street art movement or see how Street Art is being used in Poland to revitalize its cities. Take a tour through the work of artists from the infamous Bristol graffiti scene and get wild about nature in Portugal.

Street art may be temporary on our walls and sidewalks, but its beauty and vibrancy live on, on the web. Take a look— you’re sure to be bowled over by the variety of the urban canvas.

Posted by Lucy Schwartz, Programme Manager, Google Cultural Institute & Julie Pottier, Marketing Manager, Google Cultural Institute