Best Street Art in ANTWERP – From Merksem to the City Center

In the first part about the best street art in Antwerp, I introduced the brand-new murals around the Zomerfabriek in Antwerp’s Berchem district. Well, that’s certainly not all the city has to offer in terms of urban art. You’ll stumble across amazing murals not only all around the city center. The northeastern suburb of Merksem, in particular, is a fantastic open-air gallery showcasing some of the best street art in Antwerp.

Beauty beneath the Mask is a large mural created by Nils Westergard and Joachim Lambrechts in May 2017.
Beauty beneath the Mask is a large mural Nils Westergard and Joachim Lambrechts created in May 2017.

Street Art in Antwerp

When thinking of Antwerp, historic guildhalls, the majestic central train station, and the world-famous diamond district come to mind. But beyond the classic postcard images, Antwerp has also developed into an exciting street art metropolis. Here, the urban landscape becomes a walkable open-air gallery, where the boundaries between traditional high culture and modern street art seamlessly blur.

What makes Antwerp’s street art special is the harmonious interplay between creative freedom and urban support. Instead of banning art from the walls, the city actively promotes urban art projects and offers artists a legal platform to bring social issues, local identity, or simply pure aesthetics into the public sphere. At the end of the day, this allows visitors to get to know the city through a lively, ever-changing work of art.

After all, the city’s art scene is as dynamic and diverse as Antwerp itself. From hidden alleyways of the historic center to the industrial outskirts, huge murals, intricate stencils, and colorful graffiti tell the stories of the city and its inhabitants. The Merksem and Berchem districts, in particular, have established themselves as epicenters. After having introduced Berchem in my post Best Street Art in ANTWERP – Fresh Murals at Zomerfabriek, this second part now focuses on murals in Antwerp’s city center and the suburb of Merksem.

Street Art in Antwerp’s City Center

I’m presenting the works in an order that makes them easy to follow. At the end of the post, I’ve listed the Instagram accounts of all the artists in alphabetical order.

And one more thing: Antwerp also has a small comic mural route. However, since it can’t compare to the one in Brussels in any way, I have included only the two best murals in this post. However, you can find the Brussels comic mural route on The Best Murals Along Brussels’ Comic Book Route.

Aerosol Kings

The Aerosol Kings are a Belgian graffiti and street art group founded in Antwerp around the year 2000. Also known as the AK Crew, the group comprises several artists who work on projects both individually and collaboratively. Their scope of activity extends beyond Belgium to include international street art festivals.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Aerosol Kings.
With this lettering, the Aerosol Kings have created a large-scale monument to their city.

The group’s style combines various urban art disciplines, ranging from classic lettering and photorealistic imagery to elements inspired by 1930s animation aesthetics. In addition to their work in public spaces, the crew undertakes commissioned projects for corporate clients. They also operate their own platform to sell art prints and apparel. Within Antwerp’s street art scene, the Aerosol Kings are regarded as one of the most enduring and active collectives.

I’ve also introduced the Aerosol Kings in my post Best Street Art in ANTWERP – Fresh Murals at Zomerfabriek.

Larsen Bervoets

Larsen Bervoets was born in Antwerp in 1979. He works across the fields of mural art, sculpture, spatial installation, and furniture design. His public artworks are based on geometric compositions of lines and planes of color. Through the interplay of perspective, light, and shadow, he creates optical illusions on flat walls that convey a sense of three-dimensional depth. Before executing these designs in urban settings, Bervoets develops them in his studio using precise cardboard models.

Bervoets has realized several large-scale projects in Antwerp and other European cities. These include the twin murals titled Dreamin in Antwerp’s city center and the work Fabrics & Memories for the University of Antwerp. As part of the European Creative Rooftop Network’s Roofscape Landmark Project, he designed over 1,000 square meters of rooftop surfaces across six European cities. Additionally, he has collaborated multiple times with artist Matthias Schoenaerts on murals at the Antwerp prison and for the Rock Werchter music festival.

Mariana Duarte Santos

Mariana Duarte Santos, a visual artist living in Lisbon, takes the viewer with her paintings to forgotten moments. Although she works in a variety of media, the vibrant world of mural painting is her greatest passion. In her works, Mariana captures moments from old, long-forgotten films and television shows. She reinterprets these images and breathes life into them.
In this way, her work evokes a comforting nostalgia and connects the past and present on the street art wall.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Mariana Duarte Santos.
Mariana Duarte Santos created this large-scale mural as part of the “Women on the Move” project. Located within the KU Leuven complex, it addresses the stories, memories, and visibility of women with a migration background.

In addition to numerous group exhibitions, Mariana Duarte Santos has also collaborated with poet Gerry Brennan on an illustrated book of poetry, merging her images and his words.

I’ve also introduced works by Mariana Duarte Santos in my posts Best Street Art in LISBON – Part I: Graça And Beyond as well as Best Street Art in BOULOGNE sur MER – Part 2: South of Rue Faidherbe.

Inge Heremans aka Ilah

Inge Heremans, better known by her professional name Ilah, is a renowned Belgian cartoonist and comic artist. Born in Leuven in 1971, she studied applied graphic design in her hometown before going on to study philosophy. She rose to prominence primarily through her groundbreaking comic series Cordelia, which appeared in Flemish newspapers and magazines from 1996 to 2019. The humorous and often ironic stories centering on the eponymous protagonist explore the everyday doubts, relationship issues, and realities of life faced by a modern young woman.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Inge Heremans aka Ilah
All the things Cordelia gets up to on a single wall.

Through this work, Ilah established herself as one of the most influential female voices in the Flemish comic scene. In addition to her work as a freelance artist, illustrator, and author, she now passes on her expertise to the next generation, notably as a lecturer at the LUCA School of Arts.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Inge Heremans aka Ilah
Cordelia is reading in bed – that’s what I enjoy doing, too.

The Belgian organization Art Mural vzw was in charge of the large-scale application of Ilah’s designs.

Jan Bosschaert

Jan Bosschaert was born in 1957 in the Borgerhout district of Antwerp.

Mural by Jan Bosschaert.
Bosschaert’s mural contains several Easter eggs: The fountain depicted is modeled after the fountain in the nearby Hendrik Conscienceplein. Instead of water, letters bubble from the basin, alluding to the importance of the person portrayed. At the bottom of the picture, Bosschaert has immortalized comic albums, including volumes of his own works such as Sam and Jaguar. An angel and a devil watch over the entire scene at the top of the picture.

He is one of the most versatile and popular contemporary Belgian artists. After studying Fine Arts at the Sint-Lukasinstituut in Brussels, he quickly established himself as a freelance comic artist, painter, and illustrator in Flanders and the Netherlands. Bosschaert is also known internationally for his sophisticated, often erotically charged paintings. In addition, he illustrated numerous children’s books by the renowned author Marc de Bel.

His deep connection to his hometown of Antwerp is impressively demonstrated in his most famous public artwork. In 2005, he created the city’s very first comic mural as the official launch of the Antwerp Comic Route project.

It depicts the famous 19th-century Flemish national author, Hendrik Conscience.

I’ve also introduced Jan Bosschaert in my post The Best Murals Along Brussels’ Comic Book Route.

Dick Matena

The visual concept and graphic design for this masterpiece on the facade of the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library are the work of Dutch comic artist and writer Dick Matena. Born in 1943 in The Hague, Matena is considered one of the most important pioneers and masters of graphic storytelling in the Benelux countries.

Scenes and characters from the Flemish novel Kaas by Willem Elsschot are combined with historical house facades on the exterior of the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library.
The mural Kaas, which translates to Cheese, is a fascinating example of the fusion of world literature and urban street art. It is based on the satirical novel of the same name by Belgian author Willem Elsschot. The story recounts the tale of Frans Laarmans, a simple office clerk who attempts to climb the social ladder by trading Edam cheese, only to fail miserably.

He gained international acclaim and high praise from literary critics primarily through his groundbreaking specialization in faithfully adapting classic world literature to graphic novels.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Dick Matena.
The protagonist, Frans Laarmans, wearing a coat and hat, carries a bag full of cheese balls across Antwerp’s market square. In the background, you can spot the distinctive silhouettes of the town hall and the Brabo statue.

Instead of shortening or simplifying the literary works for the comic format, Matena adopts the authors’ original text word for word and underscores it with his profound, cinematic drawings. For his impressive body of work and his immense influence on comic culture, Dick Matena was honored in 2003 with the Stripschapprijs, the highest comic award in the Netherlands!

Charlotte De Cock

Charlotte De Cock is a versatile, multidisciplinary artist who was born in Paris in 1987 but raised in Antwerp. Today, she is considered one of the most distinctive and unconventional voices in the Belgian contemporary art scene. Her work integrates painting, music, documentary filmmaking, and street art into a holistic lifestyle. As a matter of fact, she performed as a DJ at major events like Tomorrowland and Burning Man!

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Charlotte De Cock.
Normally, one wouldn’t be happy to find fungi on the house wall, but in this case…

She rose to prominence in 2009 with her first major solo exhibition centered on Marie Antoinette and through her acclaimed portrait series The Thirteen Masters, in which she depicted thirteen renowned Antwerp-based cultural figures. In addition, she has left a lasting mark on the public landscape through striking street art in Antwerp. However, her activities extend far beyond Europe, as she participated in exhibitions in the USA and Japan at Tokyo Biennale in 2023, where she created a ten-meter-high mural depicting the regenerative interconnectedness of fungal mycelia.

Super A

Stefan Thelen aka Super A is a renowned Dutch street and gallery artist born in Goes in 1981. Now based in Amsterdam, he is one of the most prominent figures in the international contemporary urban art scene. His artistic roots date back to 1994, when he began with classic graffiti before studying at the Grafisch Lyceum in Rotterdam and honing his techniques. He is known for his masterful blend of traditional painting techniques, graphic design, and modern street art, often combining photorealistic or hyperrealistic elements with surreal worlds.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Super A.
Hyperrealistic giant pigeons draped over an urban and architectural backdrop featuring the Antwerp skyline and the branding for the Wild Jo beer by the De Koninck brewery.

His famous Trapped-series has become a global trademark. In these works, familiar pop culture icons are deconstructed into swirling, colorful ribbons, from which the photorealistic image of a real animal breaks free. Through these optical illusions, he playfully questions the boundary between fiction and reality. His monumental, large-scale murals and paintings can be found on facades in Germany, the USA, and the UK, as well as in prestigious museums and exhibitions such as Urban Nation in Berlin.

I’ve also introduced Super A in my post Best Street Art in GHENT.

SMOK

Bart Boudewijns aka SMOK is a renowned street art and graffiti artist born in Antwerp in 1972. Today, he is one of the most prominent figures in the Belgian urban art scene. His artistic journey began back in 1986, when, as a teenager, he sprayed his first classic graffiti lettering on the streets of his hometown. He later took a hiatus of around 15 years, starting in the late 1990s, to focus on his family.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by SMOK.
Playing hide and seek in the streets of Antwerp.

Since his successful comeback at the Day One Festival in 2013, he has worked as a full-time artist, gaining international acclaim for his large-scale, photorealistic murals. Although rooted in traditional graffiti, his current work is characterized by an extraordinary level of realistic detail. He works primarily with spray paint but also incorporates brushes and acrylics.

Happy Bunch by SMOK
SMOK’s Happy Bunch in Antwerp’s Merksem neighborhood.

His art often centers on monumental, expressive portraits of animals and people. Through these images, he aims not only to make viewers smile but also to prompt reflection on nature conservation, environmental protection, and social responsibility. His work is no longer confined to Antwerp. It adorns public spaces in numerous countries worldwide, including Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Sweden, Mexico, and the USA.

Merksem – a District in Transition

Merksem is a northern district located between the city center, the Albert Canal, and the port. Originally an independent municipality, it was incorporated into Antwerp only in 1983. Nevertheless, to this day, Merksem differs significantly from the tourist-oriented districts surrounding the old town. Instead of grand historical buildings, 20th-century residential areas, shopping streets, industrial and port areas, and wide traffic arteries dominate.

Due to its proximity to the port, Merksem developed into a classic working-class and industrial area. The population is correspondingly diverse, and this cultural mix is ​​particularly evident in the shops and restaurants along Bredabaan. At the same time, the district faces typical challenges of former industrial areas: vacancies, structural change, and the search for a new identity. Therefore, for several years, Antwerp has been strategically investing in the revitalization of public spaces and the integration of residential, commercial, and recreational areas. One of the tools used is street art.

Mural in Antwerp.
Keep your eyes peeled so you don’t miss out on those tiny treasures.

Unlike Antwerp’s city center, Merksem does not have a historically established street art scene. The artworks you see here are the result of targeted cultural projects and the commitment of local stakeholders. In recent years, numerous murals have been created on schools, residential buildings, sports facilities, and public buildings.

Overall, Merksem’s street art scene differs significantly from sophisticated street art projects. Here, the focus is not on tourist appeal, but rather on the long-term revitalization of a neighborhood. This is precisely why the art often feels more real and integrated into everyday life than the murals in trendy street art hotspots.

Case Maclaim

Andreas von Chrzanowski, also known as Case Maclaim, was born in 1979 in the small German town of Schmalkalden. He is one of the world’s most influential pioneers of photorealism in urban art. After completing his schooling, he earned a degree in art restoration and conservation from the Erfurt University of Applied Sciences, which significantly shaped his profound understanding of surfaces, materials, and classical painting techniques.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Case Maclaim.
For the anniversary of Gaston Berghmans, one of the most iconic comedians in Belgian cultural history, Case Maclaim created a powerful tribute in Merksem.

As early as 1995, he began working with spray paint in public spaces. His international breakthrough came in 2000 as a co-founder of the legendary Ma’Claim crew. The group revolutionized the global graffiti scene by creating photorealistic collages and three-dimensional figures almost exclusively with spray paint, contrary to the prevailing tradition of purely text-based styles.

Since around 2008, Case Maclaim has increasingly focused on his solo career, which has taken him to both towering building facades and international galleries. He is known worldwide for his central, unmistakable motif of hyperrealistic hands. His powerful works often combine the raw energy of spray painting with the precision of classical painting and can now be found on facades in over 40 countries around the globe. Case Maclaim currently lives and works in Frankfurt am Main.

Case has left an excellent mark in many cities, and I have already introduced him in my posts IF WALLS COULD SPEAK: The Best Street Art Project in Amsterdam, Best Street Art in BERLIN, The Best Street Art in BOULOGNE sur MER – Part 1: North of Rue Faidherbe, Best Street Art in BOULOGNE sur MER – Part 2: South of Rue Faidherbe, Best Street Art in FRANKFURT, and JIDAR Street Art Festival – How Rabat Celebrates International Urban Art.

Jaune

Belgian stencil artist Jonathan Pauwels aka Jaune hails from Brussels, where he originally studied graphic design. A turning point in his career came in 2011 after a summer job as a garbage collector. He was fascinated by the paradox of remaining completely invisible to society despite his neon yellow safety vest. Since then, he has brought his world-famous, tiny stencil workers to the streets, creating humorous chaos in public spaces. He often collaborates closely with his wife, Mal Esguerra, on his projects. While Jaune sprays the iconic stencil figures, she complements the scene with her own tiny, hidden creatures.

For the official centenary of the legendary Flemish comedian Gaston Berghman, the artistic couple created a special urban art project in Merksem. Jaune crafted custom miniature stencils that honored Gaston and blended seamlessly into the urban environment.

I’ve already introduced Jaune in my posts Best Street Art in BRUSSELS, Best Street Art in PORTO, and Best Street Art in Bayonne. He immediately became one of my favorite street artists.

Bram De Ceurt

Bram De Ceurt is a versatile artist, photographer, and project coordinator from Antwerp. His creative career began after training at the RIKSO art school, followed by studies in graphic design at the prestigious Sint-Lucas Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Bram de Ceurt.
Bram De Ceurt left behind two very different works in Merksem: While this one looks almost like a watercolor,…

Since 1996, under the artist name Bird, he has been a prominent figure in the European graffiti and street art scene. In this role, he has created highly acclaimed large-scale murals for renowned institutions such as the Rubenshuis, the WWF, and the Belgian railway company NMBS.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Bram de Ceurt.
…this one impresses with its rather bright tones, both in terms of subject matter and color scheme. Bram de Ceurt created this whimsical mural under his moniker Bird together with Nefast and SMOK,

Alongside his street art, Bram De Ceurt has dedicated himself intensively to analog and digital photography since 2010. He exhibits his photographs in Antwerp galleries. Interestingly,
in parallel to his artistic career, he also works as a Synergy Project Coordinator for a telecommunications provider.

NOIR Artist

Lucien Gilson, also known as NOIR Artist, was born in Liège in 1989. He is a renowned street and pop artist who trained at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Liège, where he honed classical techniques before dedicating himself to urban art.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by NOIR Artist.
The Lion and the Rat, and NOIR’s ornate emblem to the left.

His distinctive style is characterized by monumental, photorealistic murals, created almost exclusively in shades of black, white, and gray. He combines intricate, detailed portraits of animals and people with graphic patterns, typography, and surreal elements. NOIR Artist works internationally, creating large-scale pieces in public spaces and for well-known brands that blend classical aesthetics with contemporary street art culture.

Wietse

Wietse Hindryckx was born in Bruges in 1992. He is an internationally active street artist who began his artistic training at the Bruges Academy of Fine Arts before continuing his studies at the renowned KASK School of Arts in Ghent. It was during this time that he found his way into the urban art scene.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Wietse.
Two mythological creatures.

A dynamic fusion of realism and cartoon elements defines his style. While he initially worked almost exclusively with stark black and white contrasts, he now increasingly utilizes vibrant color palettes. Complex, almost graphic background patterns and fine line structures, which lend depth to his works, are typical of his murals.

Wietse considers himself a socially critical artist whose work is strongly influenced by art history, his travels around the world, and environmental issues. His large-scale artworks can now be found far beyond Belgium. Wietse has already designed facades in metropolises such as Lisbon, Hanoi, and Buenos Aires. He is also involved in the street art festival The Bridges in his hometown of Bruges.

Mr. X

Mr. X is the mysterious pseudonym of a self-taught street artist and graffiti artist, born in the 1980s on a military base in Germany. After losing his job in the banking sector, he decided to dedicate himself entirely to art. In his early artistic development, his work was primarily influenced by urban culture, and his tool of choice was the spray can.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Mr. X
Mr. X portrayed a kitsune fox, which is attributed with paranormal abilities in Japanese folklore.

Over time, his style has evolved significantly. His detailed, large-scale murals and canvases often depict expressive animals and plants. He is primarily active as an artist and curator in the street art scene in Belgium and the Netherlands. In addition to his signature murals in public spaces, he regularly organizes live painting events and creative art workshops.

Gijs Vanhee

Gijs Vanhee is a street artist and illustrator who lives and works in Mechelen. From early childhood, he discovered his passion for drawing and graffiti, which later led him to professional training in illustration. Since 2016, his extensive body of work, which includes monumental murals as well as works on paper, canvas, screen prints, and digital art, has focused on telling a cohesive visual story.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Gijs Vanhee
River Styx is the title of this delightful picture.

His trademark is the so-called Freebirds, human figures with bird heads that symbolize intellectual freedom and the power of human imagination. In addition to his international festival appearances, Vanhee has played a key role in the cultural revival of his hometown. From 2013 to 2015, he was the official city artist of Mechelen and initiated and curated the renowned urban renewal project Mechelen Muurt.

I’ve also introduced Gijs Vanhee in my post Best Street Art in GHENT.

TUZQ

Lars van Cauwenbergh aka TUZQ is a street artist and graffiti artist born in the Belgian Scherpenheuvel-Zichem region in 1997.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by TUZQ
Tuzq created the mysterious “Wolpertinger,” a mythical creature from German folklore. A small, mythical mammal, composed of various animals, usually wings, antlers, a tail, and fangs. You live, you learn: I’m based in Germany and had never heard of this creature before.

His artistic career began around the age of 15 when he started experimenting extensively with spray paint on the streets. Over the years, he has developed a distinctive, often large-scale style that transforms urban concrete surfaces into vibrant works of art. The central theme of his work is the animal and natural world, with a particular focus on photorealistic depictions of wolves, foxes, birds, and intricately detailed skulls. His figurative murals are characterized by an interplay of mysterious, dark facets and extremely colorful, luminous elements. A significant milestone in his career was winning the title of Best Street Art in Belgium in 2021 for a monumental fox mural in Testelt, Belgium.

Cecko

Cecko, an Antwerp-based street artist, was born in 2000. He belongs to a young generation of Belgian urban artists who combine classic graffiti techniques with photorealistic mural painting. He developed a passion for graffiti early on and eventually made it his profession. Today, he creates large-scale murals both in Belgium and internationally.

Thematically, Cecko’s works often revolve around the beauty of nature, animals, and the cosmos. His often hyperrealistic depictions combine vibrant colors with surreal elements. For the artist, the focus is less on mere decoration and more on conveying emotions and stories. He sees murals as a democratic art form because they are freely accessible to everyone.

A collaborative work of Cecko and k.shit.
This fierce griffin is the collaborative work of Cecko and k.shit.

He has also gained international recognition through his participation in street art festivals in Austria, Germany, and other European countries.

k.shit

Little is known about the Belgian graffiti artist k.shit. Unlike many representatives of the younger street art scene, he rarely appears on social media or has his own website, consciously maintaining his anonymity. His roots lie in classic graffiti, which shaped Belgian cities in the 1980s and 1990s. Over time, he continuously developed his style and increasingly participated in wall designs and large-scale murals.

Within the Belgian graffiti scene, however, he is considered one of the most important artists of the older generation and has enjoyed an excellent reputation, particularly in the Antwerp area, for many years.

Cecko, in particular, describes collaborating with him as the fulfillment of a long-held dream, having been deeply impressed by his work since he was 14 years old.

Yurika

Vértigo Graffiti is an artist collective from the Colombian capital Bogotá. In April 2018, four artists from the core team traveled to Antwerp to complete a mural measuring over 150 square meters in an intensive, eight-day work period.

Ricardo Vázquez, also known as Yurika, is an art director, co-founder of Vértigo Graffiti, and one of the most influential figures in the Latin American urban art scene. He began his career on the streets of Bogotá with classic, then-illegal graffiti, later combining this raw energy with the principles of his graphic design studies. His artistic style lies at the intersection of pop art, typography, and Latin American comic book culture. He blends photorealistic portraits with striking graphic lines and an extremely vibrant color palette.

A Shared Glance by the Street Art Crew Vértigo Graffiti from Bogota.
A Shared Glance.

Ecks

Sebastián García aka Ecks or Ecksone is considered a pioneer of the Colombian street art movement. He consciously uses art as a means for social change and the revitalization of neglected neighborhoods. Internationally, he is celebrated for his remarkably precise spray-painting technique, which allows him to master monumental formats. In his works, he combines complex wildstyle lettering with detailed character studies, thus bridging the gap between traditional graffiti writing and modern mural painting.

Cazdos

Santiago Castro aka Cazdos is a versatile street artist and illustrator. His work has been exhibited in numerous countries, including the USA, Turkey, and Jordan. He brings the raw, unadulterated essence of classic graffiti to Vértigo Graffiti’s large-scale conceptual projects, providing them with a visual foundation. His style is characterized by a deep understanding of urban surfaces, which he brings to life through strong contrasts, masterful shading, and three-dimensional textures.

Zas

It’s a man’s world: Estefany Fajardo aka Zas is the only woman on the core team of Vértigo Graffiti. Nevertheless, she has carved out a prominent place for herself in the traditionally male-dominated Latin American street art scene. Her works lend monumental murals a deliberate emotional depth and organic nuances that often contrast with the purely masculine forms of graffiti. Her artistic focus lies on expressive portraits, the dynamics of human postures, and the sensitive depiction of interpersonal relationships and interactions.

Eltipo

Dirk Claessen aka Eltipo is a renowned Belgian graphic designer and typographic artist who lives and works in Antwerp. His creative journey began in childhood, as he grew up in his father’s auto body shop, where he learned to use spray cans and specialty paints at an early age.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Eltipo
According to Eltipo, the Wild West begins in the heart of Merksem.

In 2009, he graduated from the Brussels School of Art with a Master’s degree in Graphic Design and launched his professional career at Bell Racing Europe, where he designed bespoke helmet graphics for Formula 1 drivers. After years working in design agencies, he established himself as a freelance artist in 2016.

His distinctive style combines precise, hand-drawn typography with digital vector art, classic illustrations, and large-scale murals. In addition to street art projects, Eltipo is also a sought-after designer for international brands. He has created visual campaigns and limited editions for Nike, Duvel, Glenfiddich, Smeg, and Honda.

Nils Westergard

The Belgian-American street artist and filmmaker was born in Belgium in 1992. He grew up in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., where he began practicing classic graffiti and painting theater scenery as a teenager. He later moved to Richmond to study film at Virginia Commonwealth University. There, he combined his visual skills with the production of hip-hop music videos and street art animations.

Beauty beneath the Mask is a large mural created by Nils Westergard and Joachim Lambrechts in May 2017.
Beauty beneath the Mask is also the cover of this post.

After graduating, he gained wider recognition through a multi-month trip across Europe, during which he created murals in a different city each week. His monumental, often monochromatic murals are characterized by a hyperrealistic, melancholic style. He lives and works alternately in Richmond and Amsterdam. Westergard’s art can be found in international galleries and public spaces.

I’ve introduced a mural by Nils Westergard in my post Best Street Art in BERLIN as well as Best Street Art in ANTWERP – Fresh Murals at Zomerfabriek.

Joachim Lambrechts

Born in 1986, Belgian artist Joachim Lambrechts hails from Antwerp. His passion for urban art was ignited at the age of six when he discovered graffiti during a tram ride with his grandmother. At 15, he began formal training at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. However, he left the institution early to dedicate himself to independent practice on the street and on canvas.

Joachim’s distinctive style blends Pop Art elements with classic graffiti. His work is characterized by thick, comic-strip-style outlines. He has exhibited his work in numerous major European cities.

In the above-shown collaboration with Nils Westergard, he contributed the mask.

Gomad

Marcus Debie aka Gomad is a renowned Dutch street artist and one of the pioneers of the graffiti movement in the southern Netherlands. Growing up in Sittard, he was significantly influenced by the hip-hop culture in the early 1980s. He studied art and worked as a graphic designer. Then, after 25 years, he took the plunge into full-time self-employment. Ever since, he has worked as an internationally successful urban artist.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Gomad
We’re All Connected.

The most extraordinary feature of his work is his colorblindness. Gomad confuses various shades of blue, violet, and other colors. Yet, he skillfully compensates for this by relying on the color codes of spray cans or with the help of his wife. His style combines photorealistic elements with surreal compositions as well as cubist and organic forms. You can spot his murals in Belgium, Germany, France, the UK, and Italy.

I’ve introduced Gomad already in my post Best Street Art in ROTTERDAM, Part 2: South of the Nieuwe Maas

Curtis Hylton

Curtis Hylton is an internationally renowned British street artist and illustrator, known for his monumental, freehand-sprayed murals. He spent his childhood away from screens in the woods of England, developing a deep connection to nature that now forms the foundation of his motifs. A defining element of his identity is his bicultural heritage: through his Jamaican father and British mother, he often combines native European bird and plant species with tropical species.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Curtis Hylton.
A Belgian Bouquet by Curtis Hylton.
That’s the problem with street art: not only is it exposed to the elements, but the view is also obstructed by trees, construction sites, and other obstacles.

With his vibrant nature scenes in urban spaces, Hylton aims to reconnect technology-driven people with nature while simultaneously raising awareness of pressing environmental issues. His impressive murals no longer just grace British cities but can be found at street art festivals worldwide.

I’ve introduced Curtis Hylton already in my post Best Street Art in CHELTENHAM.

Krimsone

Janne Birkner aka Krimsone has German-Ukrainian roots but was born and raised in the picturesque Blue Mountains of Australia. He began his artistic journey in the local graffiti scene of his home region, where he learned to use spray paint from like-minded individuals and quickly developed a passion for the medium. He later studied traditional fine art techniques in Sydney at the prestigious National Art School.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Krimsone
Sweet Embrace by Krimsone.

Today, he commutes between his home in Sydney and Belgium.
His distinctive, often surreal style is characterized by a combination of geometric patterns with native flora and fauna. In addition to numerous facades in urban spaces, he also creates monumental large-scale projects such as water towers and silos in rural Australia, often in close collaboration with fellow artist Scott Nagy.

MrKas

Portuguese street artist Joachim Kassandra aka MrKas was born in Porto in 1980. He began his artistic career in 1999 on the streets of his hometown. His passion for graffiti soon led him to study decorative painting in Brussels, where he honed his skills.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by MrKas
A mysterious puzzle by MrKas.

Over the years, he has developed a distinctive, unique style that blends photorealism with three-dimensional elements, optical illusions, and geometric forms. After living in various European countries, he settled in the southern Spanish city of Valencia in 2021. Today, MrKas is an internationally sought-after artist whose large-scale murals and urban artworks can be seen in cities around the world.

I’ve also introduced works by MrKas in my posts PICO – the Top of the Azores and Best Street Art in PORTO.

Andres Cuatin

Andres Cuatin is an internationally active street artist and muralist, best known for his large-scale, colorful murals in Ecuador and Belgium. Originally from the Ecuadorian city of Ibarra, the muralist divides his time between South America and Europe. His work focuses on preserving local and indigenous identities. Through his art, he aims to raise awareness of cultural heritage and highlight socially critical issues.

Best Street Art in Antwerp by Andres Cuatin
Who Owns the Land?

Stylistically, Cuatin’s murals are characterized by an extremely vibrant, high-contrast palette. Cuatin has created large-scale works for the renowned Detonarte Festival in Quito, as well as art projects in the Ecuadorian Amazon region, thus artistically connecting urban spaces and pristine nature.

On Instagram

To dig deeper into the subject and see more of the amazing art the above-featured artists have created, you can just check out their Instagram accounts:

Aerosol Kings

Larsen Bervoets

Jan Bosschaert

Cazdos

Cecko

Bram de Ceurt

Charlotte de Cock

Andres Cuatin

Mariana Duarte Santos

Ecks

Eltipo

Gomad

Curtis Hylton

Inge Heremans aka Ilah

Jaune

Krimsone

k.shit

Joachim Lambrechts

Case Maclaim

MrKas

Mr. X

NOIR Artist

Super A

TUZQ

Gijs Vanhee

Nils Westergard

Wietse

Yurika

Zas

How to Get Around

While the murals in the first part, Best Street Art in ANTWERP – Fresh Murals at Zomerfabriek, can for the most part be visited by walking, you need to get to Merksem by public transport. Take tram #2 or #A3 at the central station towards P+R Merksem. To see the above-shown murals, get off at stop Burgemeester Nolf, Oudebareel, and finally Victor Roosen. Obviously, you can also walk all the way between the first and the final stop as it’s only 20 minutes.

Generally, contactless payment is the most convenient way to buy a ticket. Simply tap your bank card, smartphone, or smartwatch against the reader on board the vehicle. A single journey costs 3 €uro and is valid for 60 minutes. There is no fare capping.
You can save money by purchasing a day pass for 9 €uro, which is valid for 24 hours from the time of activation on all De Lijn vehicles across Flanders. The same applies to the 3-day pass, which costs 18 €uro.

Keep in mind that you must also check in with a physical ticket, whether it is for a single journey or a multi-trip pass. To do this, simply tap the ticket against the reader on the bus or tram. Checking out, as is required in cities like Amsterdam or Rotterdam, is not necessary.

You’ll find more important info on Antwerp in my post What to Do in ANTWERP in Three Days – The Obvious and the Unexpected.

Map

This map should help you to find the murals I’m introducing in this post.
Clicking on the slider symbol at the top left or the full-screen icon at the top right will display the whole map, including the legend.

Pinnable Pictures

If you choose to pin this post for later, please use one of these pictures:

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Disclaimer: I am very appreciative of visitAntwerpen for supporting my blogger trip by providing me with a City Card. However, all opinions on these services are mine and weren’t by any means influenced by my cooperation partner. 

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