Most of us walk past a cracked sidewalk or a crumbling wall and see something that needs a repair crew. But for a specific group of creative minds, these urban “scars” are the perfect starting point for a story.
Whether it’s filling a pothole with colorful mosaics or turning a rusty pipe into a cinematic moment, these artists prove that beauty doesn’t require a blank canvas—it just requires a fresh pair of eyes. Here are 10 times street art “fixed” the world in the most unexpected ways.
More: Clever Surprises (8 Photos)
1. Lego Wall Repair
German artist Jan Vormann has turned the simple act of playing with LEGO into a global movement called “Dispatchwork.” By filling the cracks and missing corners of crumbling old buildings with bright plastic bricks, he creates a striking contrast between historical decay and modern play. Since starting in 2007, his colorful repairs have appeared in over 40 cities worldwide, inviting people to stop and see urban imperfections as opportunities for shared creativity.
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2. Flacking by Ememem in Lyon, France
Ememem is the master of “flacking”—the art of repairing cracked sidewalks and potholes with beautiful, intricate mosaics. By treating the city’s wounds with ceramic tiles and color, he turns a trip hazard into a permanent piece of jewelry for the street. It’s a “fix” that makes the pavement look better than it did when it was new.
More by Ememem!: Repairing Streets (10 Photos)
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3. Literary Foundations at Samara Public Library in Yekaterinburg
This pillar was literally crumbling away until it was “reinforced” with a stack of classic books. This clever installation at a library entrance suggests that knowledge is the very foundation of our structures. It’s a brilliant way to use art to signal the purpose of a building while hiding a bit of urban decay.
4. Laundry Day by Golsa Golchini in Milan, Italy
Golsa Golchini sees the peeling paint on a white wall and imagines a fresh start. By adding a tiny figure “hanging” laundry along the jagged edge of the paint chips, she turns an eyesore into a domestic scene. It’s proof that art doesn’t have to be massive to completely change how we feel about a space.
More by Golsa Golchini!: You Might Walk Past These—But They’re Tiny Masterpieces in Disguise
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5. Shocking Development by Oakoak
Oakoak is known for his ability to see characters in urban infrastructure. Here, a mess of tangled black wires becomes the source of a very bad day for Homer Simpson. By adding a simple stencil, the artist turns a potentially dangerous or ugly piece of utility work into a moment of pop-culture comedy.
More by Oakoak!: Lovely by Oakoak (10 Photos)
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6. The Sewer Skeleton
A standard sewer grate becomes the ribcage of a giant, neon-pink skeleton. This piece uses the existing lines of the street to create a playful “x-ray” of the sidewalk. It’s a bold way to make pedestrians look down and appreciate the geometry of the city’s plumbing.
7. Upcycled Garden in Valparaiso, Chile
In a city famous for its murals, this artist “fixed” a plain wall by adding life. Using recycled plastic bottles as hanging planters, they’ve created a vertical garden that integrates perfectly with the painted houses. It’s a beautiful solution for adding greenery to narrow, concrete urban alleys.
8. Leonard’s Grass Mustache by David Zinn
David Zinn specializes in finding friends in the cracks of the sidewalk. Here, a clump of weeds growing through the concrete isn’t something to be sprayed with poison—it’s the perfect, bushy mustache for a character named Leonard. It’s a gentle reminder to cultivate abundance wherever we find it.
More!: This Is Amazing Art By David Zinn! (11 Photos)
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9. Googly Eyes by Vanyu Krastev in Bulgaria
Sometimes a “fix” is as simple as two googly eyes. Vanyu Krastev looks for lumps, burls, and knots in trees or concrete and gives them a soul. This bulging tree trunk, trapped behind a railing, suddenly looks like a surprised creature trying to take a bite out of the fence.
More here!: Googly-Eyed Art (17 Photos)
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10. The Lego Bunker by näutil in Saint-Pierre-Église, France
This massive concrete bunker from WWII was a gray reminder of a dark past until näutil stepped in. By painting the entire structure to look like a giant, smiling LEGO figure, the artist “fixed” the heavy atmosphere of the site, turning a symbol of war into a landmark of play. More photos here!
More: Life and Poetry By Näutil (15 Photos!)
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