Street art in Rio de Janeiro

Where to find street art in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

Rio de Janeiro's street art scene emerged in the 1980s during Brazil's democratic transition, serving as a vehicle for social protest and cultural memory. The legalization of street art in Brazil in 2009, followed by the 2016 Olympics, accelerated the scene's institutionalization. The city also carries a parallel and older tradition: pixação, an angular graphic form with deep political roots.

Santa Teresa, a hillside neighborhood of colonial architecture, functions as a living gallery where murals blend Afro-Brazilian and indigenous themes with the historic surroundings. Lapa is home to the Beco do Pantera, the Beco dos Carmelitas, and the iconic Selarón Steps — a mosaic of over 2,000 tiles from around the world. The Olympic Boulevard, along the port, hosts monumental-scale works.

Eduardo Kobra created "Etnias" here in 2016, a 3,000 m² mural depicting indigenous peoples from five continents, recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's largest street art mural by a single artist. The Art Rua festival each September invites international artists. Os Gemeos and Panmela Castro are among the most prominent figures of the Brazilian scene.

Find the 1 artworks by the following street artists in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)

Eduardo Kobra

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