12 Street Artists Got Together to Fill Downtown Las Vegas with Vibrant Murals

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Okuda

Las Vegas is known for its glitz, gambling, and now, an act of senseless violence that took the lives of 58 people and injured 489 others. But amid the stereotypes and the heartbreaking incident, the resilient city continues to develop a vibrant art scene that showcases the incredible creativity of artists both locally and around the world. One shining example of this is Justkids, a global creative house that works internationally and has recently turned Las Vegas into its giant canvas. Working in collaboration with the Life is Beautiful Festival, they commissioned creatives to bring street art into the original downtown Las Vegas area—2017 marks the fifth year that they have been curating the project.

Many of the works included in Life is Beautiful are murals that add colorful imagery to the facades of otherwise ordinary buildings. This year, however, Justkids raised their ambitions with site-specific installations that required some serious logistical talent. Spanish artist Okuda produced one of our favorite pieces in the festival that incorporates 2D as well as 3D work. His large rainbow-colored painting titled Rest of the three Graces sits nearby his 16-foot sculpture of a sitting creature called Smiling Bear King—a piece so big and heavy that it had to be transported by ship over the course of six weeks.

In addition to Okuda, there were 11 other artists invited for this edition of the festival. They include: Faile, Felipe Pantone, Kevin Lyons, Broken Fingaz, Mau Lencinas, Morag Myerscough, This is my b world, Luzinterruptus, Fafi, Bicicleta Sem Freio, and Zest. Check out some of their work, below.

The original downtown area of Las Vegas was recently adorned with vibrant street art from 12 artists around the world.

Okuda Street Art Justkids

Okuda

Street Art Justkids

Pantone

Street Art Justkids

Pantone

As part of the Life is Beautiful Festival, the impressive array of work was curated by Justkids, an art creator and producer local to the city.

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Morag Myercough

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Morag Myercough (at night)

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Mau Lencinas

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Mau Lencinas

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Mau Lencinas

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Broken Fingaz

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Broken Fingaz (detail)

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Kevin Lyons

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Kevin Lyons (detail)

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Faile

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Fafi

Street Art Justkids

This is my b. world

Street Art Justkids

This is my b. world (detail)

Street Art Justkids

Zest

Las Vegas Street Art at Life is Beautiful Festival

Zest (detail)

Justkids: Website | Facebook | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Justkids.

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Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled "Embroidered Life" that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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