This collection brings together ten playful street interventions, from mosaic creatures in Kyiv to character-based makeovers of utility meters in Los Angeles. Each piece adds humor to sidewalks, walls, and everyday objects in cities around the world. Here’s a quick tour through the works that turn ordinary corners into moments worth smiling at.

More: Funny Fake Shadows! (20 Photos)

1. Happy Cats — K. Skretutsky in Kyiv, Ukraine

A long mosaic sculpture shaped like a blue cat stretches along the path, with large rounded eyes and a wide open mouth forming an archway. The tiled surface creates a bright and playful creature that wraps around the corner of the walkway. More about it!: Happy Cats! – In Kyiv, Ukraine

2. Nadine and the Surprisingly Effective Joke — David Zinn in Michigan, USA

A small chalk creature is drawn at the base of a rock border, using a natural rock as the character’s wide-open mouth. A tiny mouse stands beside it, enhancing the playful scene created from the landscape. More!: Happiness Maker David Zinn (8 Photos)

🔗 Follow David Zinn on Instagram

3. Googly Eyes on Street Bollards — Vanyu Krastev in Bulgaria

Round concrete bollards are transformed with simple stick-on googly eyes. One cracked bollard looks like it has an open mouth, turning the entire line into characters along the sidewalk. More!: Googly-Eyed Art (17 Photos)

🔗 Follow Vanyu Krastev on Instagram

4. Have You Seen This Dog?

A flyer shows two photos of a friendly dog with tear-off tabs reading “Have a great day.” The design mimics a missing-pet poster but instead shares a positive message with passersby.

5. Homer Shocked by an Electrical Box — Oakoak in France

A painted figure of Homer Simpson appears to grab an electrical box, with jagged lines suggesting a shock. The box and cables are incorporated into the artwork as part of the scene. More!: Lovely by Oakoak (10 Photos)

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6. Sad Face

A wooden post at a dune path shows natural knots resembling a sad face. The structure and weathered grain form a character without added paint, created entirely by the wood’s texture.

7. Invisible Man With Flip-Flops

A pair of flip-flops sits on a small table beside a humorous sign advertising an “invisible naked man.” Coins in a container show that many pedestrians enjoyed the joke.

8. Cigarette Voting Box — Anonymous in Copenhagen, Denmark

A public ashtray poses a satirical question about selling Greenland, offering “yes” and “no” slots. The fill levels show public opinion through the number of cigarette butts.

9. Wall Character — Jan Is De Man in Utrecht, Netherlands

A cracked brick wall is turned into a smiling face with large painted eyes. A small painted crate with eyes sits below, adding an extra character to the playful composition. More!: 8 Happy 3D Artworks by Jan Is De Man That Will Make You Smile

🔗 Follow Jan Is De Man on Instagram

10. Gym Meters — Tom Bob in Los Angeles, USA

Two gas meters and surrounding pipes are painted as cartoon athletes. One lifts a barbell formed from the pipes, while the other hangs from painted gymnastics rings. More!: 33 Artworks by Creative Genius Tom Bob (That Will Make You Smile)

🔗 Follow Tom Bob on Instagram

More: Funny Signs (8 Photos)

Which one is your favorite?

STREET ART UTOPIA

2025-11-11 09:32:43

Funny Fake Shadows! (20 Photos)

Damon Belanger, a graphic artist based in the San Francisco Bay Area, created a public art installation called “Fake Shadows” in Redwood City, California, USA. Funded by the Redwood City Public Art Program, this unique and playful street art project was realized in 2016.

Belanger’s “Fake Shadows” are a delightful interplay of reality and illusion. The artist added painted false shadows to common street objects, such as bike racks, benches, mailboxes, and even a manhole cover, turning them into whimsical creatures and objects. For example, a parking meter’s shadow becomes a monkey’s tail, a mailbox casts the shadow of a dragon, and a bike rack’s shadow transforms into a monkey on a tree.

If you’ve had the chance to see Damon Belanger’s “Fake Shadows” in person, why not share your experience or better still, your photos in our Facebook group Your Street Art Utopia?

For more on Damon Belanger and his work, visit his website.

On your next urban adventure, remember this: street art is not only about murals on walls or graffiti tags. It’s an ever-evolving form of self-expression that can turn even a simple street fixture into a source of surprise and joy. So, keep your eyes open – the next creative twist could be just around the corner!

More: Googly-Eyed Art (17 Photos)

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More: Playing with statues (25 photos)

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What do you think of this type of street art?

Damon Belanger

Damon Belanger is a graphic artist living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area. Active in the local art scene for over 10 years he has explored a multitude of various themes, styles and ideas in his work.

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