Reykjavik has one of the most concentrated street art scenes in Europe — a collection of large-scale murals covering building facades throughout the 101 postal code area (downtown Reykjavik) that was partly formalised by the city-sponsored Wall Poetry project and has since expanded organically as international and Icelandic artists have added work to the city's walls.
The murals cover subjects from Icelandic nature (whales, puffins, the Northern Lights) to political commentary, abstract art, and portraits, and the density of painted facades in the compact city centre means you encounter street art every few minutes while walking. The most notable works include pieces by Australian artist Guido van Helten, Belgian artist ROA, and Icelandic artists Sara Riel and Sigríður Rún, whose works use the small city's walls as a gallery that is free, democratic, and continuously evolving.
The street art reflects Reykjavik's outsized cultural ambition — a city of 130,000 people that produces art, music (Björk, Sigur Rós, Of Monsters and Men all emerged from this tiny scene), literature (Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country), and design at a volume that cities ten times its size can't match. The colourful corrugated-iron buildings that the murals decorate are themselves architectural treasures — many date to the late 19th and early 20th centuries and are protected heritage.
Verified Facts
The Wall Poetry project formalised the street art scene
Björk and Sigur Rós emerged from Reykjavik's music scene
Iceland publishes more books per capita than any other country
The 101 postal code covers downtown Reykjavik
Get walking directions
Various locations, 101 Reykjavík
