Wall Illusions (11 Photos)

Content warning: Which one is your favorite?

From a milkmaid pouring real liquid to a giant frog staring down a visitor in a decaying warehouse—these 10 pieces of street art reshape how we see the urban world. You’ll find gravity-defying illusions in Germany, surreal reflections in Lithuania, and playful architectural deception in Poland. Scroll down for a tour of murals, sculptures, and street interventions that blur the line between art and reality.

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1. Floating World — Ray Bartkus in Marijampolė, Lithuania

This remarkable mural by Ray Bartkus was intentionally painted upside-down to create a magical effect. The swimmers, rowers, and swans appear right-side-up only when reflected in the waters of the Šešupė River, which flows through the heart of the city. Visitors to the old dam are invited to rediscover the mural’s beauty time and time again.

As Bartkus explains: “The drawing itself is created in reverse, and its true form is revealed only in the water’s reflection. I hope that every time people pass by, they will discover something new, because this artwork, like our days in life, is never the same as it was yesterday.”

More photos and how it was painted!: This upside-down mural is upright in reflection

Mural under a bridge in Nerviano, Italy showing a tattooed man appearing to pull himself out of the tunnel with outstretched arms. One hand grabs the tunnel edge, while the other reaches toward an artist crawling away on the ground.

2. The Grab — Cosimo “Cheone” Caiffa & Mor Pavone in Nerviano, Italy

A tattooed man emerges from the underpass, his massive arms reaching out past the tunnel walls. One hand grips the corner as if he’s pulling himself out, while the other stretches forward—toward the artist, who appears to flee in mid-crawl.

More by Cosimo “Cheone” Caiffa!: 23 Amazing 3D Murals by CHEONE!

Hyperrealistic mural of a giant blue frog on a cracked interior wall in Portugal. The frog appears to emerge into the room where a man sits on a folding chair facing it.

3. Giant Blue Frog — Odeith in Portugal

Painted with shadow and depth, this frog appears to leap out from the peeling wall of an abandoned room. A viewer sits directly across from it, locked in a surreal stare-down.

More by Odeith!: Master of Illusion!: 19 Jaw-Dropping 3D Graffiti Pieces by Odeith

Large-scale mural in Wuppertal, Germany of a tilted box of marbles painted on a building wall. A real marble appears to roll out of the artwork onto the sidewalk in front.

4. Gravity — Leon Keer in Wuppertal, Germany

An enormous box of colorful marbles seems to sit inside the side of a building, with one marble rolling out onto the pavement. The perspective and shading create a powerful illusion of depth.

More photos!: 7 Photos and Video of “Gravity” by Leon Keer in Wuppertal, Germany

Trompe-l’œil mural in Łódź, Poland showing a realistic hotel lobby with stairs, chandeliers, and people in period dress, painted on the side of a building.

5. Grand Lobby — WALLART in Łódź, Poland

This mural transforms a flat wall into the lobby of a luxury hotel, complete with chandeliers, guests in formalwear, and gold-framed paintings. Every detail mimics the real architecture of an upscale interior.

More photos!: Impressive Three-dimensional Mural by WALLART in Lodz, Poland (4 photos and video)

Mural of Vermeer’s milkmaid painted on a beige wall in Saint-Étienne, France. She appears to pour real liquid into a metal container placed on the sidewalk.

6. The Milkmaid — Oakoak in Saint-Étienne, France

A playful twist on Vermeer’s painting, this urban piece places the milkmaid against a building wall and aligns her jug perfectly with a metal container on the street, creating a seamless real-world interaction.

More by Oakoak!: 9 Genius Street Artworks That Will Change How You See the City

Mural of a woman holding a clear drinking glass painted on a brick wall in Glasgow, UK. A man stands inside the painted glass, appearing trapped in the illusion.

7. Caught in a Glass — Bobby “Rogue-One” in Glasgow, UK

A woman painted in sharp detail holds a drinking glass—trapping a real man inside its transparent cylinder. The artist plays with perspective to stage an optical illusion in full scale.

More by Rogue-One!: 5 Stunning Bobby Rogue-One Murals You Need to See in Glasgow

Street art of a brown horse in water drawn on pavement in Neustadt, Germany. A woman sits on the sidewalk petting its nose, adding to the realism.

8. 3D Horse — Nikolaj Arndt in Neustadt, Germany

A photorealistic chalk drawing on a pedestrian path shows a horse half-submerged in a puddle. A seated viewer strokes its nose, completing the illusion of presence.

🔗 Follow Nikolaj Arndt on Instagram

Two photos of a fountain statue in L’Aquila, Italy. In one, the sunlight shines through the water stream, making it look like the statue is spewing lava instead of water.

9. Lava Fountain — L’Aquila, Italy

At sunset, the water from this statue aligns perfectly with sunlight to look like a jet of molten lava. The timing and angle make a real-world illusion that feels digitally edited—but isn’t.

More photos!: Molten Magic – Italian Fountain Glows Like Flowing Lava

Large sculpture on a grassy hill in New Zealand resembling a floating sheet drawn in the air with black lines. People and cows stand below, emphasizing its surreal scale.

10. Horizon — Sculpture by Neil Dawson at Gibbs Farm, New Zealand

This massive steel sculpture outlines curves of a floating sheet across a hillside. Depending on your position, it can appear as a 2D drawing suspended in the sky.

More photos here!: You Won’t Believe This Incredible Sculpture in New Zealand Isn’t Photoshopped!

Mixed-media artwork in Kaunas, Lithuania by Morfai featuring a statue of a man and dozens of three-dimensional black stars embedded in a wall. At night, the shadow of the statue appears to scatter the stars like seeds across the surface.

11. The Seeder — Morfai in Kaunas, Lithuania

This clever piece combines sculpture, carving, and light. A statue of a man with a satchel stands before a wall where dozens of black star-shaped elements are embedded into etched recesses. During the day, it’s subtle. But at night, the man’s shadow aligns perfectly with the stars, making it appear as if he’s sowing them into the wall.

About The Seeder and more photos!: Reviving Culture Through Art: ‘The Seeder’ Marks Lithuania’s First Legal Street Art Masterpiece

Which one is your favorite?

STREET ART UTOPIA

2024-12-02 21:09:19

This upside-down mural is upright in reflection

“Floating World” by Ray Bartkus in Marijampolė, Lithuania.

This remarkable mural by Ray Bartkus was intentionally painted upside-down to create a magical effect. The swimmers, rowers, and swans appear right-side-up only when reflected in the waters of the Šešupė River, which flows through the heart of the city.
Visitors to the old dam are invited to rediscover the mural’s beauty time and time again. As Bartkus explains:
“The drawing itself is created in reverse, and its true form is revealed only in the water’s reflection. I hope that every time people pass by, they will discover something new, because this artwork, like our days in life, is never the same as it was yesterday.”
What do you think about the mural that reveals itself when you look at its reflection in the water?

Ray Bartkus
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This entry was edited (3 months ago)

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