- As a call for justice for George Floyd spreads across the world, artists have used murals as a tool to urge action and commemorate the 46-year-old man who died on May 25.
- From Syria to Minnesota, murals depict George Floyd as an angel and a hero.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
For nearly nine minutes, George Floyd was pinned to the ground with a knee to his neck by a white Minneapolis police officer. Floyd died on May 25 in police custody.
“Please, I can’t breathe” were some of his last words.
Those words have echoed around the world as people seek justice for Floyd and call for an end to police brutality.
Protesters have flooded streets with chants and signs. Others are taking a knee. And artists are creating powerful murals and street art around the world.
Artists in Syria, Kenya, the US, and throughout the world have used their skills to commemorate Floyd. The powerful images leave a lasting impression on cities and their people.
Five local artists painted a mural in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Floyd died on May 25.
Outside Cup Foods in Minneapolis, Minnesota, artists Xena Goldman, Cadex Herrera, Greta McLain, Niko Alexander, and Pablo Hernandez painted a mural to commemorate Floyd.
"It's comforting and incredibly hopeful to us that the mural is being appreciated by the community," Cadex Herrera told Hyperallergic. "Our idea was to depict Floyd not as a martyr, but as a social justice hero."
Artists Aziz Asmar and Anis Hamdoun painted a mural of Floyd on ruins in Idlib, Syria.
The words "No to racism" are featured above Floyd's head. To the left, the artists depicted the scene where Floyd died while being arrested and pinned to the ground by the knee of a white police officer.
A spray-painted mural was created by Theo Ponchaveli in Dallas, Texas.
Artist Theo Ponchaveli finished the mural in Dallas on Monday.
The powerful image depicts some of Floyd's last words, including a line that's been echoed across the world: "I can't breathe."
Multiple murals have been painted across Minneapolis.
An artist added a mural of Floyd at the Minneapolis memorial site, which is now filled with candles and flowers.
Street artist Akse paid tribute to Floyd through a mural located in Manchester, UK.
Across the UK, demonstrators and protesters have shown solidarity. Akse showed his solidarity by painting a mural of Floyd.
Originally, the mural had a black background, but the artist later decided to change it to white.
Artist Celos painted a mural in downtown Los Angeles, California.
Artist Celos paints a halo around Floyd's head while tears run down his face. Inspiring words fill the background of the mural.
A black, red, and white mural was painted across a wall in Nantes, France.
Artist Allan Mwangi, also known as Mr.detail.seven, painted this mural of Floyd in Nairobi, Kenya.
The mural of Floyd includes the Swahili word "Haki," meaning "Justice."
A colorful mural appeared on a boarded up shop in Inwood, a neighborhood in New York.
As protests take place across Ireland, a mural was painted on a wall in Dublin.
Artist eme_freethinker painted a mural of Floyd on the graffiti-covered remains of the Berlin Wall in Germany.
Murals have also popped up commemorating Floyd, like this one in Oakland, California.
An artist turned Floyd into an angel in Houston, Texas.
The words "Forever breathing in our hearts" are painted in the shape of a halo above Floyd's head.
Barcelona's street art now includes Floyd with angel wings and a stop sign.
Italian urban artist Salvatore Benintende, or "TVBOY," created artwork that depicts Floyd as an angel urging people to stop racism.