Modern muralism emerged from New York City’s graffiti boom of the 1960s and 70s, though its roots as a powerful political communication tool stretch back to 1920s Mexico. What began as underground street art, often unsanctioned and rebellious, has gradually transformed into something cities around the world actively celebrate and commission. Once confined to abandoned buildings, murals now proudly dominate skylines from Berlin to Buenos Aires and are recognised as vital contributions to the urban landscape. Today, Our Culture highlights three mural artists whose large-scale works are certainly worth your attention.
Patrícia Mariano
Portuguese fine arts painter and muralist Patrícia Mariano took an unconventional path to her practice. With a background in architecture and journalism, she’s a self-taught artist who didn’t discover her true calling until age 30, when she realised her dream was to have her own studio and paint full-time. Working in what she calls “imagined realism,” Mariano creates intriguing murals that blend surrealist style with metaphorical imagery, often centering portraits of women. Her striking mural “Calypso,” created for Galeria de Arte Urbana’s Festival MURO 2025, has been nominated for Best Mural in the World by Street Art Cities.
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Fintan Magee
Sydney-based muralist Fintan Magee creates large-scale social realist paintings that tackle themes of migration, the environmental crisis and inequality. Born in 1985 to an architect mother and sculptor father, Magee was exposed early to the political murals of his father’s native Northern Ireland. This influence shaped his belief in the power of public art to communicate viewpoints and unite communities. His figurative work, which carries a surprising softness influenced by children’s books and the Low Brow art movement, now appears on walls across the globe from London to Buenos Aires to Kyiv.
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INTI
Taking his name from the Incan sun god, Chilean artist INTI creates murals that feel like fever dreams of South American culture. His work frequently blends Chilean symbolism into strange, dizzying characters rendered in bright colours and executed with meticulous technical control. Active since 1996, INTI uses street art to express political statements, celebrating Latin culture while acknowledging Chile’s turbulent recent past. His massive murals now appear across continents, from his native Valparaíso to Belgium, India and beyond. Aside from murals, INTI has recently been exploring bronze sculpture.
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