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.

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.

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.

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.

While its creators anticipated this stretched plastic surface appealing to local graffiti artists, they were apparently hoping for a higher grade of street art to adorn the Storefront for Art and Architecture gallery facade in New York City.

Architecture studio SO-IL created this temporary surface as an extension of an exhibition going on within the gallery space, but its creators remain somewhat disappointed: “We knew this would happen. Unrestrained, Storefront pushes itself into the public domain. By wrapping it in a white canvas it further provokes a response from the city. It was anticipated, but what a poor quality of the graffiti… We had hoped for something better.”

So far, tags like “ugly kids” and other scrawled messages have been mainly black spray on the white background – nothing layered or time-consuming. Of course, now that the memo is out, perhaps a different kind of artist will take a try at the surface – that, or the statements may backfire, with artists wondering why they should add value to someone else’s surface.

Illuminated and pressed outward by walls and objects from within the gallery, part of the idea was to draw people into the exhibit by creating visual interest along the street and sidewalk – a novel trick for attracting attention. Still, if this kind of impromptu artistic addition was expected, why not simply invite a group of graffiti artists to contribute in the first place? In the end, once one concedes a surface will be defaced, either it will unfold naturally and unpredictably or will have to be controlled by the property owners – there is no real middle ground.

Alleyways and city streets are often criss crossed with urban art, though it usually takes the form of paint out of a can. Thankfully this is not always the case, as urban property owners team up with exceptionally talented artists to create murals so realistic and interesting, that they could easily hang in a gallery, but so large that they hang on it, instead.

(Images via idesignarch, rentalcarmomma, darkroastedblend)

Artist John Pugh created this tear away painting revealing the skeleton of Roman architecture peeking out of a modern building. A gorgeous tunnel going through a building may serve as quality art and a fantastic view in Lyon, France, but it does pose a danger to the errant driver who decides to ride into the sunset. Meanwhile, in Toronto, the back of the Gooderham Flat Iron building serves as a city artistic staple, depicting the facade of gorgeous old architecture peeling away from a modern edifice.

(Images via northendwaterfront, moillusions, joshuawiner)

The Salem Street Power Building serves as a beautiful backdrop to an old gate and some very real bikes. One feels like they are peering into an expansive hall full of workers and wooden cask barrels, instead of a flat wall. At Boston’s Old City Hall, the trompe l’oeil style painting reveals a gorgeous entrance that doesn’t actually exist; displaying the depth of the history, without taking up the space.

(Images via urbanartcore, brooklynstreetart, laughingsquid, weburbanist)

The Giant of Boston was a uniquely controversial addition to the city, by Os Gemeos graffitit artists, that has since become a staple of the downtown outdoor art scene. “Liberation and Revolution” is the name of a gigantic mural painted by the artist Ever, which, early though this picture is, portrays a stirring scene about life’s complexities, tempered by the image of laser-eyed cats frolicking on the side of a large building. Swiatecki created this 12 story masterpiece, in a solid 3 months of hard work.

(Images via mymodernmet, art-is-fun, cleveland, telegraph)

Escif, a Valencia-based artist, created this gigantic on/off switch to turn a few heads during an arts festival in Poland. Anat Ronen created a mural that is a bet meta, as it photographs you taking a photograph of it. Columbus, Ohio features this play on the famous American painting “American Gothic” with an outdoor twist. Famous mural artist John Pugh created this depiction of the final monarch of the Hawaiian islands, Queen Lili’uokalani.

(Images via naturamurals, art-is-fun, postersandprintsblog)

The Beasley Building in Philadelphia holds this trompe l’oeil masterpiece, turning a once non-descript corner into a bustling construction zone. Kobra makes one feel like they stepped back in time, as a tall building holds a testament to the neighborhood’s past. Artists Saber and Shepard Fairey collaborated on this art piece, featuring two incarnations of the American flag in abstract.

(Images via themetapicture, buzzfeed, dullneon)

This gorgeous mural changes the entire landscape, turning it into a seaside view along the coast. In Vienna, Austria, an artist brought their vision to life in a thought-provoking piece brimming with sad emotion. Miles MacGregor created “FlowerPower Girl” which is both realistic and brighter than life. His other work can be found at Elmac.net.

(Images of streetsofbeige, gigi-rose, moillusions)

D*face put together this Los Angeles mural as an homage to pulp comics and posters of the past, with a darker edge. Artist John Pena put together this cloudscape, showing the transformation from nothing to something, to nothing. This final photograph is of a mural that wisely used the existing landscape to create a much different, and rural, feel for this city block.