This Is Clever (14 Photos)

From playful illusions in Milan and Buenos Aires to an octopus rising in Limerick and carved cubes by the sea in the Netherlands. This update brings clever object makeovers, surreal sculptures from Norway, and small imaginative touches that change how the city feels.

More: Art Shouldn’t Be Just for Galleries (10 Photos)

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1. Roller Crosswalk — Cosimo Cheone Caiffa in Trezzano sul Naviglio, Milan, Italy

A mural depicting a man painting the street itself, with the roller seamlessly extended onto the crosswalk, blending wall and pavement into one continuous scene. More: 23 Amazing 3D Murals by CHEONE!

🔗 Follow Cosimo Cheone Caiffa on Instagram

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2. Dog Library

A playful community idea where a small sign invites dogs and their owners to “Take a stick, leave a stick,” turning a tree base into a whimsical lending library for pets.

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3. Biberstumpf kaffeeklatsch — Coffee Break in a Stump by David Zinn in Michigan, USA

A painted groundhog enjoying a cup of coffee inside a hollowed tree stump, blending natural textures with imaginative character design. More: David Zinn’s Hidden Chalk Art (12 Photos)

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4. Witch Cone Shadow

A simple traffic cone casting a painted shadow of a witch flying on a broomstick, transforming an everyday street object into a playful illusion.

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5. Painted Octopus — Lumen Street Theatre in Limerick, Ireland

A bollard turned into the head of a bright blue octopus with tentacles sprawling across the pavement, created for a scavenger hunt event. More about it and photos: Painted Octopus on a bollard in Limerick, Ireland

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6. Eroded Rubik’s Cube — At Scheveningen Harbour in the Netherlands

A massive weathered concrete cube painted like a Rubik’s Cube sits among sea defenses, turning coastal blocks into an oversized puzzle piece. More!: Eroded Rubik’s Cube in the Netherlands

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7. Lady in the Wall — Martín Ron in San Telmo, Buenos Aires, Argentina

A large-scale portrait of a woman in a hat and bracelets, painted across an exposed brick wall, fusing realism with architectural framing. More: 9 Martín Ron Murals That Redefine Urban Art

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8. HORN SOLO — Falko Fantastic in Cape Town, South Africa

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9. The Rising Tide — Jason deCaires Taylor in Haugesund, Norway

Sculptures of riders on horses installed in shallow waters, their presence shifting with the tides, connecting art to the surrounding seascape.

🔗 Follow Jason deCaires Taylor on Instagram

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10. Cats on the Wall

A simple mural showing a black cat sitting on a yellow band painted across the wall, paired with a white cat shape in the shadow below. The artwork blends with the building’s colors and layout, using light and contrast to create a playful scene.

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11. Sembrando Paz by Adriana del Rocío García Hernández & Carlosalberto Gh in Culiacán, Mexico.

A large mural showing a mother and children surrounded by white doves and flowers, painted across the corner of a residential building.

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12. By ImSorry in Cape Town, South Africa.

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13. “Dieter” by Blesea in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, France.

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14. “Territori potablava” by Miquel Wert in Barcelona, Spain produced by Fundació Contorno Urbano.

🔗 Follow Miquel Wert on Instagram

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Which one is your favorite?