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This Mural of a Sleeping Man in Colombia Stopped Me in My Tracks

April 11, 2025
By Vidar

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Photorealistic mural by Omar Alonso in Barranquilla, Colombia, depicting an older man sleeping curled up on his side with a red backpack as a pillow. His gray hair and tanned arms show signs of aging and labor. He wears a white T-shirt with red trim and blue pants. The mural is painted within a recessed wall niche, creating a realistic illusion of depth. On the ground in front of the mural are open trays of paint and brushes, emphasizing the in-progress feel of the street artwork.

Colombian artist Omar Alonso has created a breathtakingly realistic mural in Barranquilla that captures the quiet vulnerability of a man asleep on a concrete bench. Nestled into the corner of a building, the piece blends seamlessly with its environment, using shadows and depth to draw the viewer in. With a few trays of paint still scattered beneath the wall, the scene feels frozen mid-creation—honest, raw, and deeply human. This post dives into Alonso’s powerful mural and the story it evokes on the streets of Barranquilla.

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Photorealistic mural by Omar Alonso in Barranquilla, Colombia, depicting an older man sleeping curled up on his side with a red backpack as a pillow. His gray hair and tanned arms show signs of aging and labor. He wears a white T-shirt with red trim and blue pants. The mural is painted within a recessed wall niche, creating a realistic illusion of depth. On the ground in front of the mural are open trays of paint and brushes, emphasizing the in-progress feel of the street artwork.

Omar Alonso’s mural in Barranquilla, Colombia

In this photorealistic mural, a man lies curled up in sleep, using a backpack as a pillow. His worn clothes and tired posture reflect a hard life, rendered in such fine detail that viewers often mistake the painting for a real person. The artist masterfully uses the recessed space of the wall to enhance the illusion, turning the flat surface into a believable three-dimensional shelter.

More by Luisfer Guarín:

Street mural by Omar Alonso in Barranquilla, Colombia, featuring a powerful male figure mid-stride with one arm raised, holding a machete. The painting is inspired by a quote from actor Evaristo Márquez in the film Quemada (1969), where he co-starred with Marlon Brando. The phrase "BE FREE" is part of the artwork’s message, symbolizing personal and political liberation. The expressive strokes and warm earthy palette heighten the emotional intensity of the scene.

BE FREE by Omar Alonso in Barranquilla, Colombia

Inspired by words spoken by actor Evaristo Márquez in the 1969 film Quemada, this mural is a striking tribute to personal liberation. The figure appears mid-motion, holding a machete aloft, wrapped in a dynamic swirl of warm earth tones and expressive brushstrokes. The words “BE FREE” are not just a slogan here—they echo the revolutionary energy of Márquez’s role as José Dolores, who fought for the dignity and autonomy of his people.

Mural by Omar Alonso in Barranquilla, Colombia, painted on a concrete overpass pillar. The piece shows a group of intertwined human limbs and bodies trapped within the wall. At the bottom, a bald man in a white shirt and pants looks out from within the structure, his expression heavy and haunting. The pillar is painted in bright orange to frame the relief-like imagery, with painting supplies visible at the base.

The Secret Hiding Place of the Disappeared by Omar Alonso in Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia

Painted on the pillar of an overpass, this mural evokes confinement, repression, and resistance. Human figures seem to emerge from or be trapped within a wall of limbs, with one solemn face peering out near the bottom. The piece honors the disappeared—those who vanished during times of political violence and unrest.

Surreal mural by Omar Alonso in Soledad, Atlántico, Colombia, depicting a monstrous, worm-like creature with mechanical textures and exposed wiring. The figure's head is replaced by a large, tilted Instagram logo, symbolizing blind navigation through algorithms. Painted in a shadowy, dimensional box-like structure, the background is filled with chaotic organic shapes resembling tangled roots or nerves.

Algorithm by Omar Alonso in Hipódromo, Soledad, Atlántico, Colombia

In this surreal mural, a creature made of sinew and cables crawls into a room-like space. Its head is replaced by the Instagram logo, while its body resembles a giant segmented worm or mutated form. Alonso critiques algorithm-driven social media consumption with a grotesque but captivating metaphor.

What do you think about the murals by Omar Alonso?

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2 Comments

  1. Stuck on Screens: 15 Street Art Pieces About Phones, Scrolling, and Modern Life - STREET ART UTOPIA
    March 20, 2026

    […] More: Omar Alonso’s Murals on Street Art Utopia […]

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  2. Our neighborhood in Holland, Michigan is having a mural festival September 4-8, 2025. Our festival in 2023 won a national award for the best example of Revitalization and Beautification of a Neighborhood by Neighborhoods USA (NUSA). In 2024 we were awarded the Social Justice Award from the Human Relations committee from the City of Holland. We will have international and US artists coming. We would love for you to come and see what we are doing in our Eastcore Neighborhood.

    Reply

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