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10 Urban Art Installations That Celebrate Books and Music
Content warning: From staircases turned into philosophy shelves to lamp posts jamming in a jazz band, these ten public artworks celebrate two of humanity’s most powerful forms of expression—books and music. Spotted across the globe, this curated collection features a viol
From staircases turned into philosophy shelves to lamp posts jamming in a jazz band, these ten public artworks celebrate two of humanity’s most powerful forms of expression—books and music. Spotted across the globe, this curated collection features a violin bigger than a building, a sparrow flying out of a storybook, and benches that look like novels ready to be opened. Here’s how artists have brought literature and rhythm into the streets.
More: 10 Street Art Masterpieces That Will Make You Fall in Love with Books Again
1. Stairs of Knowledge — University of Balamand, Lebanon
This painted staircase outside the library at the University of Balamand features 21 classic book spines arranged in near-chronological order. Titled the “Stairs of Knowledge,” the installation symbolizes intellectual progress through reading and has become a visual landmark for students and visitors alike.
2. Book Bench — Zaporozhye, Ukraine
Installed near the city library of Zaporozhye, this creatively designed bench resembles an open book with curved wooden slats for seating and white painted pages along the sides. It’s a fitting tribute to reading placed right at the heart of literary access.
3. Jazz Lamps
Street lamps take the shape of jazz musicians—one plays trumpet, another saxophone—while an ornate metal bench forms a piano. The snow-covered scene amplifies the surreal atmosphere.
More!: Repairing the World with LEGO
4. Guitar Player — Mural by Alex Maksiov in Houston, Texas, USA
Painted directly onto stair steps, this large-scale mural shows a boy sitting with a white electric guitar and an open blue case beneath him, making clever use of perspective.
🔗 Follow Alex Maksiov on Instagram
5. I Have A Dream — Mural by Bane & Pest in Chur, Switzerland
A giant sparrow emerges from a glowing open book, carrying a girl on its back. Surrounding it are tall stacks of painted books in a dreamlike composition.
More!: Amazing Murals by 3D Master Fabian Bane (7 Photos)
6. Miles Davis — Sculpture by Vlado Kostov in Kotor, Montenegro
Crafted from scrap metal, this detailed sculpture of Miles Davis captures the iconic trumpeter mid-performance, blending industrial materials with fluid motion.
7. Stringed Soul — Mural by SFHIR in Fene, Spain
Painted across the height of a building, a woman appears mid-performance with a giant white violin integrated into the building’s shape, her expression serene and focused.
More!: Turning Walls into Stories! 6 Murals by SFHIR
8. Fox and Bookshop — Mural by HERA in Vincennes, France
A giant fox curls protectively around two children reading outside a bookstore. The quote translates: “The children asked the fox how to escape reality. He replied: it’s easy, just open a book.”
More!: HERA – Crafting Stories on Walls Around the World
9. Violin Wall — Mural by Dopie in Delft, Netherlands
A hyper-saturated violin mural appears to float off the wall of a residential building. The stylized design gives a pop-art twist to classical music.
10. Trombone Player — Mural by Tom Bob in New York, USA
A yellow gas pipe becomes the body of a trombone, transformed by clever street art into a fun character blowing the horn, giving life to overlooked city infrastructure.
More!: 33 Cute Street Art Pieces by Creative Genius Tom Bob
More: 20 Street Art Pieces That Hit the Right Note
Which one is your favorite?
14 Street Art Masterpieces That Will Make You Fall in Love with Books Again
From a massive bookshelf painted across a building in Russia to a fox sharing wisdom on a French bookstore wall, artists across the world are transforming public spaces with book-inspired art. In Brazil, a child climbs a vibrant wall of painted encyclopedias. In Michigan, a chalk-drawn mouse curls up with a novel beneath a terra cotta pot lamp. This collection explores 14 creative murals, sculptures, and interventions where reading takes center stage—reminding us that stories still shape the cities around us.
More birds!: Read, Roam, Repeat: 11 Whimsical Public Book Spots to Celebrate World Book Day
1. Climbing the Library – Eduardo Kobra in Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil
A giant mural of a boy climbing a painted wooden ladder up a wall filled with colorful books. Each book spine is intricately detailed in vibrant tones, creating the illusion of a real, towering library.🔗 Follow Eduardo Kobra on Instagram
2. Giant Bookshelf Mural – JanIsDeMan in Solnechnodolsk, Russia
This massive trompe-l’œil mural transforms a bland apartment block into a three-story bookshelf packed with Russian titles, a model cathedral, and a Matryoshka doll.🔗 Follow JanIsDeMan on Instagram
3. Flying from a Book – Bane & Pest in Chur, Switzerland
On a sports court wall, a mural shows a huge bird soaring from a glowing book, with a child in blue flying on its back. Piles of painted books surround the open one, symbolizing escape through imagination.🔗 Follow Bane on Instagram
4. Books Spark Ideas – TAKERONE in Razgrad, Bulgaria
A glowing lightbulb bursts out of an open book in this dramatic mural on a school wall. White paint splashes and swirling pages emphasize the moment of creative awakening.🔗 Follow TAKERONE on Instagram
5. Escape Through a Book – HERA in Vincennes, France
Painted on the wall of a bookstore, a fox coils protectively around a boy reading. Text in French translates: “It’s easy to escape everyday life—just open a book.”🔗 Follow HERA on Instagram
7. Reading in a Meadow – Zabou in Moutiers, France
This upside-down mural cleverly uses the building’s shape to depict a girl laying in a field of dandelions, reading while listening to music. The book becomes part of the wall’s edge.🔗 Follow Zabou on Instagram
8. Brick Wall of Knowledge – Brad Spencer in Charlotte, North Carolina, US
Sculpted from brick, this piece shows three children climbing and helping one another over a wall. The figures emerge seamlessly from the same bricks, referencing growth and learning.🔗Visit Brad Spencer website
9. Books as the Foundation – Unknown Artist in Yekaterinburg, Russia
A clever urban repair fills a crumbling building base with real books set in concrete. It’s a quiet but poetic commentary on knowledge holding up society.
10. Nadines Evening of Adventure – David Zinn in Ann Arbor, Michigan, US
A miniature chalk drawing of a mouse reading under a terra cotta flowerpot turned into a lamp. David Zinn’s whimsical interventions bring cozy charm to any corner. More by David Zinn!: Discover David Zinn’s Amazing Chalk Art Masterpieces in Michigan🔗 Follow David Zinn on Instagram
11. Book-Shaped Benches – Unknown Artist, likely Eastern Europe
These curving benches look like thick, open books with lines of text printed across them. They invite passersby to sit down—literally—on a story.
12. Tree Became a Library – Ruurlo, Netherlands
This open-air library is built into the hollowed trunk of an old tree, with small glass-fronted cabinets neatly installed into the wood. It holds a selection of books and acts as a public book exchange in a natural setting.
13. Dystopia Bowl
A black Halloween bowl filled with copies of George Orwell’s 1984 sits outside a home, accompanied by a sign reading “One Copy of 1984 Per Child.” It mimics a trick-or-treat setup but swaps candy for political commentary.
14. By Darion Fleming — Brooklyn, New York
Mural by Darion Fleming at 108 St. Edwards Street in Brooklyn, created with WXLLSPACE. It shows a young girl holding a box of school supplies and a stack of books supporting a globe. On top sits a teddy bear wearing a graduation cap with a pigeon perched above. The mural celebrates education featuring book titles such as “Unity Makes Strength” and “The Woman’s Hour.”🔗 Follow Darion Fleming on Instagram
More: When Street Art Meets Nature (40 Photos)
Which one is your favorite?
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