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The Art of a Pandemic

COVID-19 street art from around the globe

COVID-19 street art in Navi Mumbai, India, on March 5, 2021.
COVID-19 street art in Navi Mumbai, India, on March 5, 2021.  REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas
by Mary Brophy Marcus

Street art has flourished during the pandemic. Kaleidoscopic collages with messages to mask-up and get vaccinated decorate walls across the world. There are two-story tall tributes to health-care workers and memorial murals dedicated to those who’ve died from COVID-19. Some images lean to the political, while others prompt hope.

We’re sharing just a fraction of the COVID street art out there—but, here’s to all of the artists who’ve told the story of the pandemic these past two years with their paint brushes and spray cans, especially those who’ve used their canvases to promote health messages and raise awareness of health inequalities.

A Palestinian man walks past cartoon-style street art of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, with its signature spike proteins, in Gaza City, on October 4, 2020.
Gaza A man walks past street art of a cartoonish novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 with its signature spike proteins, in Gaza City, on October 4, 2020.
Boys run past a mural by graffiti artist Senzart911 during the COVID outbreak, in Kliptown, the oldest residential district of Soweto, South Africa, on October 27, 2021.
South Africa Artist Senzart911 created larger than life images of children wearing protective face masks during the COVID outbreak in Kliptown, the oldest residential district of Soweto, South Africa, on October 27, 2021.
United Kingdom “Rainbow Boy,” street art by Chris Shea (also known as State of the Art) in Biggin Hill, London, United Kingdom, on April 20, 2020.
Serigne Boye aka Zeus, a street artist from RBS crew, flashes a peace sign as he stands beside his mural meant to encourage people to protect themselves during the coronavirus outbreak in Dakar, Senegal, on March 25, 2020.
Senegal Serigne Boye aka Zeus, a street artist from RBS crew, flashes a peace sign as he stands beside his mural meant to encourage people to protect themselves during the coronavirus outbreak in Dakar, Senegal, on March 25, 2020.
A woman wearing a face mask during the COVID-19 pandemic touches the legendary graffiti-covered John Lennon Wall in Prague, Czech Republic, on April 6, 2020.
Czech Republic A woman touches the legendary graffiti-covered John Lennon Wall in Prague, Czech Republic, on April 6, 2020.
A municipal worker cleans a street in front of street art depicting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro adjusting his face mask during the COVID-19 outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 26, 2020.
Brazil A municipal worker cleans a street in front of a mural depicting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro adjusting his face mask during the COVID-19 outbreak, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 26, 2020.
Brazilian graffiti artist Eduardo Kobra puts the final touches to his mural Coexistencia—Memorial da Fe por todas as vitimas do Covid-19, translated as Coexistence—Memorial of Faith for All Victims of Covid-19, which shows children of different religions wearing protective face masks, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 5, 2021.
Brazil Brazilian graffiti artist Eduardo Kobra puts the final touches to his mural Coexistencia—Memorial da Fe por todas as vitimas do Covid-19, translated as Coexistence—Memorial of Faith for All Victims of Covid-19, which shows children of different religions wearing protective face masks, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 5, 2021.
A mural by Mathare Roots Youth Group advocating safe health practices during the spread of COVID-19, Mathare Valley, in Nairobi, Kenya, on April 19, 2020. 
Kenya A mural by Mathare Roots Youth Group advocating safe health practices during the spread of COVID-19, in Mathare Valley, Nairobi, Kenya, on April 19, 2020.
A rickshaw taxi passes a mural promoting COVID awareness in Jakarta, Indonesia, on August 31, 2020.
Indonesia A rickshaw taxi passes a mural promoting COVID-19 awareness in Jakarta, Indonesia, on August 31, 2020.
A mural of a health-care worker climbs three stories high along the side of a building in Manchester, United Kingdom, on October 19, 2020.
United Kingdom A lifelike health-care worker stretches three stories high up the side of a building in Manchester, United Kingdom, on October 19, 2020.
A man wearing a face mask jogs by street art in Brick Lane, in London, on April 18, 2020.
United Kingdom A man jogs by the image of a woman wearing a respirator in Brick Lane, in London, United Kingdom, on April 18, 2020.
Artist David
Switzerland Artist David “S.I.D.” Perez spray paints an image representing two vaccines fighting against a virus, in Gland, Switzerland, on December 3, 2020.
A mural in honor of health workers is pictured under a bridge in Mexico City, Mexico, on September 24, 2020.
Mexico A mural in honor of health workers is pictured under a bridge in Mexico City, Mexico, on September 24, 2020.
The names of people who died from the coronavirus disease are painted on a wall by members of the non-profit organization Ataraxia, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on July 31, 2021.
Mexico The names of people who died from the coronavirus disease are painted on a wall by members of the non-profit organization Ataraxia, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on July 31, 2021.
Women wearing protective masks walk past street art encouraging people to
Malaysia Women wearing protective masks walk past street art encouraging people to “stay safe” amid the coronavirus pandemic in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on September 18, 2020.
People walk past a work by Greek visual artist Hambas in Athens, Greece, on October 27, 2020.
Greece Street art by Greek visual artist Hambas depicts a teary American child wearing a mask made out of a $100 bill. Photo taken in Athens, Greece, on October 27, 2020.
A man rides his bicycle past street art during the coronavirus disease outbreak in New Delhi, India, on July 17, 2020.
India A man rides his bicycle past a street art tribute to essential workers in New Delhi, India, on July 17, 2020.
Street art encouraging hand washing, and the use of masks and hand sanitizer mimics Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, in Mumbai, India, on April 6, 2021.
India Street art encouraging hand washing, and the use of masks and hand sanitizer mimics Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, in Mumbai, India, on April 6, 2021.
A man passes street art under a bridge during the COVID pandemic in Vienna, Austria, on April 2, 2020.
Austria A man passes street art encouraging good hygiene under a bridge in Vienna, Austria, on April 2, 2020.
Thai street artist Mue Bon paints a scenario depicting characters attempting to keep a COVID virus at bay, in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 21, 2020. 
Thailand Thai street artist Mue Bon paints a scenario depicting characters attempting to keep a COVID virus at bay, in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 21, 2020.
An emotional image graces a crumbling wall in the central Gaza Strip, on March 17, 2021. 
Gaza An emotional image graces a crumbling wall in the central Gaza Strip, on March 17, 2021.
Wall art celebrates nurses in Codogno, one year after the small northern Italian town became Europe's COVID-19 epicentre, on February 11, 2021.
Italy Street art celebrates nurses in Codogno, one year after the small northern Italian town became Europe’s COVID-19 epicentre. Photo taken in Codogno, Italy, on February 11, 2021.
As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on in the United States, street art in Santa Monica, California, sends a message of hope,
United States On May 11, 2020, as the COVID-19 virus continues to spread in the United States, street art in Santa Monica, California, sends a message of hope.
A couple totess take out food as they walk near street art with the message
United States A couple totes take-out food as they walk near street art with the message “stay home,” on April 2, 2020, the same day that Washington Governor Jay Inslee extended a stay-home order to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Seattle, Washington.
Artist Bram De Ceurt stands next to a work he created in support of medical staff during the COVID-19 outbreak, in Antwerp, Belgium, on April 30, 2020.
Belgium Artist Bram De Ceurt stands next to a work he created in support of medical staff during the COVID-19 outbreak, in Antwerp, Belgium, on April 30, 2020.

Mary Brophy Marcus is the former deputy managing editor of Think Global Health. She is a health journalist who specializes in medicine, health policy, and global health. 

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