Mosaic Murals: Tile Patterns Spray-Painted in Deserted Spaces

tile artwork abandonment

A puzzle of layers rather than pieces, each of this spray-painted works takes aesthetic cues from historic Barcelona, deploying them in novel contexts using unexpected materials.

tile floor spraypaint stencil

tile finished piece

tile in progress

tile exposed exterior

Catalan artist Javier de Riba creates these vibrant works with stencils, one of the original tools of the street artist, bringing them to life so well they could be confused for glass or ceramic tiles.

tile wrapping skate park

tile curved surface stencil

tile floor mural

tile floor art spraypainted

His target locations vary, but his pieces can sometimes be found on sidewalks or the ramps at skate parks, though the floors of abandoned buildings are a popular pick. Deserted places make it easier to take time with a given work, but also add to the element of surprise when discovered by others.

tile painting

tile graffiti stencil outline

tile work floor ground

tile demolished house barcelona

Some are composed in square frames, though many break borders and some even wrap curve surfaces or sweep across entire floors. Currently, some of his work is on display at the Miscelanea gallery in Barcelona, including a large site-specific installation.