Best Street Art in GHENT

Street art is an integral part of Ghent’s cityscape, even if it doesn’t necessarily compete for attention with the medieval architecture. The scene ranges from spontaneous graffiti and tags to large-scale murals by internationally renowned artists. Some works are carefully commissioned, while others emerge from the city’s independent graffiti culture. The most famous example is Werregarenstraat, better known as Graffiti Street, whose walls are constantly being repainted and therefore never look the same for long. Beyond this famous alleyway, street art can be found woven into the cityscape in various neighborhoods.
In this post, I’m taking you to the best street art spots Ghent has to offer.

Street Art in Ghent

Ghent has a relatively long history with graffiti and street art. In the 1990s, the city began establishing designated areas for graffiti, rather than dismissing this art form as vandalism. The most famous result is Werregarenstraat, a narrow pedestrian zone in the city center known as the Graffiti Street.

However, Ghent has also commissioned murals from Belgian and international artists. These are generally much more elaborate than the graffiti in the city center.

Nevertheless, unlike cities such as Bristol, Lisbon, or Rotterdam, Ghent is certainly not a place to visit specifically for its street art. After all, Ghent has so much to offer. Urban art can therefore be considered an additional facet of the city, rather than its main attraction. Some murals are impressive and worth seeing, while others are easily overlooked. The contrast with the medieval architecture is nonetheless intriguing. Centuries-old facades, canals, and churches form the backdrop for a contemporary art form that is intentionally ephemeral. And unlike a museum collection, the street art scene is constantly changing, so each visit can only be a snapshot of what is currently on Ghent’s walls.

Klaas Van der Linden

I’m starting this post by introducing Klaas van der Linden since he clearly dominates the Ghent street art scene with an impressive number of murals. Van der Linden was born in Aalst in 1986 and currently lives and works in Ghent.

His artistic roots lie in the graffiti scene, where he was already active as a self-taught artist at the very young age of twelve! To add an academic foundation to his talent and passion, he studied at the renowned LUCA School of Arts in Ghent. There, he earned his Master of Fine Arts in 2008 and further honed his skills with a second Master of Graphic Arts in 2014.

Van der Linden’s visual trademark is a fusion of classic oil or acrylic painting and the use of spray paint, marked by a strong chiaroscuro effect. Due to a visual impairment that makes him perceive contrasts on dark or black backgrounds with particular sharpness, he has made night and darkness a central element of his work.

His often monumental murals and delicate canvases stylistically range from richly detailed realism to dark, surreal dream worlds. Besides expressive portraits, skeleton and skull motifs are among his recurring subjects. His works are no longer only seen in public spaces in Belgium, but have also been exhibited in cities such as Berlin and London. Nevertheless, a large number of his works can be discovered within the city of Ghent itself.

GLEO

Colombian street artist Natalia Gallego Sánchez aka GLEO is one of the most prominent voices in the contemporary South American urban art scene. Born in 1992 in the Colombian city of Cali, where she still lives and works, she was inspired by the vibrant art scene of her hometown. At the age of 17, she began transforming the gray walls of her neighborhood into colorful works of art. She later professionalized her passion by studying Visual Arts at the Universidad del Valle, while extensive travels throughout South America and stays in street art metropolises like Mexico City and Barcelona significantly shaped her artistic identity.

GLEO’s work is deeply rooted in the mythology, spirituality, and legends of pre-Columbian indigenous peoples. Her trademark is monumental, vibrant murals depicting mystical, often female or androgynous mythical creatures.

Her monumental facade artworks and exhibitions have long been in demand internationally and can be admired in the USA, France, Portugal, Brazil, Morocco, Belgium, and the Netherlands, among other places.

I’ve introduced GLEO already in my posts JIDAR Street Art Festival – How Rabat Celebrates International Urban Art and Best Street Art in LISBON – Part II: Marvila.

Han Coussement

Han Coussement’s artistic career began in a highly unusual way. Amazingly, he only discovered classical painting after being arrested by the police for illegal graffiti. To find a way to continue expressing himself artistically without constantly facing fines and clean-up orders, he opted for a legal path and enrolled in an academic painting course.

Today, the artist, who works in Belgium, combines these two worlds and intensively explores the interplay between classical canvas painting and public art. In his works, he experiments with diverse formats, the specific characteristics of urban walls, and the mixed media techniques typical of both graffiti and traditional painting.

His often large-scale murals frequently address profound and socially relevant themes. His striking facade artworks, which combine rough lines with expressive brushstrokes, now shape the streetscape of numerous Belgian cities.

Sofie Demeyer

Sofie Demeyer was born in 1983. She lives and works in Ghent. At the beginning of her career, she experimented extensively with animation, monotypes, watercolors, and figure drawing. In recent years, however, she has shifted her focus to classical painting and large-scale murals.

Her often enormous oil paintings on canvas are characterized by a colorful, imaginative aesthetic and a slightly absurdist humor with which she captures the banality of everyday life. She frequently uses her own photographs as a visual basis and often includes herself in her works.

ROA

ROA was born in Ghent in 1976. He is a globally acclaimed street artist who maintains strict anonymity to this day. Inspired by hip-hop culture and the graffiti wave of the 1980s, he began his career in his hometown, initially painting abandoned factories and urban wastelands.

From 2008 onwards, he achieved international recognition with gigantic murals of wild animals, rodents, and birds, which he has since created on every continent in major cities such as London, New York, Berlin, and Los Angeles. His style is almost exclusively monochromatic, using black, white, and shades of gray, and he renders fur and feather textures with enormous, almost scientific precision. His subjects always depict animal species native to the respective region and, through anatomical representations, address the cycles of life, death, and decay.

I’ve introduced ROA already in my posts Best Street Art in PARIS: How Mehdi Ben Cheikh Transformed the 13th Arrondissement Into An Open-Air Gallery, Best Street Art in BERLIN, and Best Street Art in TENERIFE.

A Squid Called Sebastian

Sebastian Daley aka A Squid Called Sebastian, is a Belgian-American painter, street artist, and tattooist. He was born in 1981 in Belmont near Boston and grew up immersed in the local hip-hop scene. In 1989, he moved with his family to Ghent, where he still lives and works.

After graduating with a degree in comic book design, he initially worked for two years as a storyboard editor in advertising. Finding commercial work unfulfilling, he left the industry in 2010 to dedicate himself fully to his own art. Just six months later, he had his first solo exhibition.

His style blends his comic book roots with influences from the classical Renaissance and Surrealism, which he discovered while traveling through Europe. Dynamic, often melancholic figures and masked characters characterize his large-scale murals. The boundary between mask and face blurs, lending his work an emotional, narrative depth.

In addition to monumental murals at international festivals like Wynwood Walls in Miami and projects in Canada, he works in his studio on delicate ink and oil drawings. He also tattoos at the Belgian studio KILINIK.

I’ve also introduced A Squid Called Sebastian in my post Best Street Art in ANTWERP – Fresh Murals at Zomerfabriek.

João Maurício aka VIOLANT

João Maurício, better known in the international street art scene by his artist name VIOLANT, is one of Portugal’s most distinguished contemporary muralists. Born in 1988, he discovered spray paint at the age of 13 before intensifying his drawing skills at 16. He professionalized his passion for art through rigorous academic studies, first earning a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and Multimedia from the Escola Superior de Educação de Santarém and then completing a Master’s degree at the Escola Superior de Artes e Design de Caldas da Rainha. Since 2011, he has dedicated himself almost exclusively to large-scale muralism.

VIOLANT’s work is characterized by an exceptional visual language and striking technical execution. Inspired by Brazilian street art techniques, the artist often forgoes the use of platforms, scaffolding, or projectors in his monumental murals. Instead, he uses brushes and rollers on extremely long telescopic poles, which lends his works a unique dynamism.

VIOLANT is well-known far beyond the borders of Portugal. In addition to numerous murals in his homeland, he has left his mark on public spaces in various European countries.

Dave De Rop aka Bué The Warrior

Bué is considered one of the most important pioneers of the Belgian street art scene. He grew up in a family of comic book artists, which significantly shaped his artistic interests. At the age of 17, a chance encounter on a bus brought him into contact with two graffiti artists who gave him his first spray cans. This was the pivotal moment that ignited his passion.

For more than two decades, he has used the street as his canvas to fill gray urban spaces with vibrant colors and positive energy. His distinctive style is characterized by extremely accessible and playful cartoon characters. In addition to his numerous murals worldwide, Bué also works across disciplines. He designs plush toys, his own children’s clothing lines, and digital apps. After many formative years in the Ghent street art scene, he relocated to Mexico City.

Resto

Resto, born in 1961, is a fixture and a true legend of the Belgian graffiti and urban art scene. For many decades, the Ghent-based artist has enriched public spaces with his distinctive works. His artistic philosophy is remarkably simple yet effective: at the heart of his work lies the pure joy of creativity.

Resto’s works are characterized by dynamic, vibrant colors and often deliberately distorted, exaggerated proportions. He is particularly known in the art world for his penchant for gigantic scale. He creates monumental giants and fantastical, lifelike, machine-like beings. As an artist deeply rooted in Ghent, Resto regularly collaborates with other prominent figures in the scene, such as ROA and Bué The Warrior.

Bisser

Bisser was born in Leuven in 1990 and studied animation at the KASK art school in Ghent. During his first year of studies, he chose his pseudonym, which derives from the Flemish verb bissen, meaning to repeat a school year. His artistic roots lie in classic graffiti. Over the course of his artistic development, his focus shifted to three-dimensional representations and abstract painting.

Bisser’s work is strongly influenced by his training in animation as well as by comics. His murals typically depict stylized, cartoonish human figures and mythical creatures. Instead of using walls as neutral surfaces, he likes to integrate existing structures such as chimneys, windows, or the texture of the brickwork directly into the visual storytelling of his murals. In addition to monumental facade designs in public spaces, he has also been working with ceramics, illustrations, and canvases since 2022. His works are represented internationally and can be found in Belgium, France, Spain, the USA, Mexico, and Brazil, among other countries.

Kitsune Jolene

Jolien De Waele, also known as Kitsune Jolene, initially worked as a volunteer assistant for various street artists after studying Fine Arts and Architecture and completing an unfinished Master’s degree in Art History at Ghent University. At the end of 2017, she began working independently with spray paint in public spaces. Her pseudonym is derived from the Japanese word for fox, hence, Kitsune.

Kitsune Jolene’s artistic work can be categorized as surreal, figurative muralism. She draws inspiration from personal experiences as well as motifs from mythology, folklore, and local histories of the respective locations where her work is created.

Her large-scale murals are characterized by a distinctive color palette dominated by warm tones and shades of pink. In addition to projects in Belgium and the Netherlands, she has created murals in Ireland, Portugal, Dubai, and Australia, among other places. She is also involved in various street art festivals.

I’ve also introduced Kitsune Jolene in my post Best Street Art in CHELTENHAM.

Kymo One

Kymo One grew up in Hasselt, a city in Belgium, from where he commuted daily by train to Ghent during his school years. These journeys sparked his interest in urban graffiti culture. He studied graphic design, and the visual principles and design grids he learned there directly influenced his artistic practice and led to a reorientation of his style.

Today, Kymo One’s visual language consists of a combination of graphic elements, digital aesthetics, and classic painting techniques. He frequently uses images and graphic fragments found online for his artwork, placing them in new, sometimes surreal, contexts. His large-scale murals are characterized by precise lines and a pronounced three-dimensionality. In addition to his independent work in urban spaces, he regularly undertakes curated commissions for cities and organizations. His works are primarily found in Belgium, including cities like Ghent, Hasselt, Delft, and La Louvière.

Defo

Defo, also known by pseudonyms such as Defomanone, is a graffiti and street artist from Brussels. He belongs to the so-called Old School generation and was active in the early stages of the Belgian graffiti movement, starting in the 1980s. As a member of established local graffiti crews, he significantly influenced the development of classic style writing and spray can techniques.

Defo’s artistic style lies at the intersection of traditional typography and abstract, organic forms. His works are characterized by complex, dynamic letter constructions, often accompanied by figurative elements such as stylized comic characters. He works primarily with classic spray cans and possesses a precise freehand technique. In addition to individual works in urban spaces and prominent graffiti hotspots, Defo is known for numerous collaborations with subsequent generations of artists. These include artists such as ROA, Bué The Warrior, and Kymo One. His works can be found in Belgium, the Netherlands, and France.

Lobster Robin

Lobster Robin was born in Antwerp in 1992, but lives and works primarily in Ghent. His professional career began in the field of classic animation and illustration, where he focused intensively on character design. Finding the content and stylistic constraints of commercial studios too limiting, he left this work to dedicate himself exclusively to his own projects in public spaces and on canvases.

His visual style is directly influenced by classic 1970s cartoons, comic books, and punk fanzine culture. His large-format works are characterized by strongly emphasized outlines, distorted proportions, and the depiction of grotesque or deformed characters. A key feature is the use of brushes instead of spray paint. In addition to murals, he also designs skateboard decks and clothing. He has also published his own graphic novels and art books. His work has been featured at European festivals.

Pso Man

Pso Man is the pseudonym of a graffiti artist, illustrator, and muralist from the Liège region. He is one of the internationally active figures in the Belgian street art scene. After numerous trips and exhibitions in Asia, particularly in the South Korean capital Seoul, he temporarily relocated there. His extensive travels have led to an increasing incorporation of Asian stylistic elements and symbolism into his murals.

The core characteristic of Pso Man’s artistic style is cell-shading. This technique, originating from digital animation and comics, uses minimalist outlines and harsh shading to give objects a three-dimensional, comic-book look. His motifs explore the relationship between urban civilization and the forces of nature. His murals can be found in Europe, as well as in South Africa, Taiwan, and South Korea.

Naomi Rozalina King

Naomi Rozalina King is a Dutch-Surinamese street artist, illustrator, and graphic designer who lives and works in Rotterdam, where she is one of the leading female figures in the local urban art scene. She received her academic training at the Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam and studied illustration at the Willem de Kooning Academie. She displayed a pronounced talent for drawing from a young age, but later began working with large-scale murals.

Naomi Rozalina King’s visual style combines graphic precision with vibrant, high-contrast color. Her imagery is strongly influenced by Art Nouveau, Pop Art, and 1980s cartoons. Many of her compositions stem from the visual processing of dreams, memories, and the subconscious. In addition to her work as a freelance muralist, she runs her own design studio, creates animations, and leads workshops.

Ems Verhaert

Ems Verhaert lives and works in Antwerp. She completed her academic training at the renowned Sint Lucas Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, where she studied illustration. Building on this graphic foundation, she expanded her work to include large-scale murals in public spaces.

Ems Verhaert’s visual language is strongly influenced by narrative and fantastical worlds. Her work often incorporates mythical creatures, combined with influences from pop and comic book culture.

In addition to her independent urban projects, primarily located in Belgium and the Netherlands, she is also active in traditional gallery and studio work. She produces illustrations on paper and canvases and regularly participates in group exhibitions.

Philip Bosmans

Philip Bosmans was born in Bree in 1980 and lives and works in Hasselt. He received formal training in classical graphic design. As a painter and graffiti artist, however, he is self-taught and has developed his skills through many years of independent practice.

Philip Bosmans’ compositions often have a dreamlike quality and are constructed in a collage-like manner. In addition to working on canvas in his studio, he creates large-scale murals in public spaces under his artist name Bosmaus. His work is featured in exhibitions and galleries and can be seen on building facades in urban areas, primarily in Belgium and neighboring countries.

TelmoMiel

TelmoMiel is the artistic duo of Dutch muralists Telmo Pieper and Miel Krutzmann. The two met while studying at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam and have been working together since 2012. With their large-scale murals, they have made a name for themselves far beyond the Netherlands and are now among the most renowned figures in contemporary street art.

Characteristic of their work is the combination of photorealistic painting with surreal and dreamlike elements. Objects often appear to merge into one another or dissolve, creating fascinating optical illusions. This way, their works combine technical perfection with great imagination. They impressively show how street art can blur the boundaries between reality and imagination.

TelmoMiel’s murals can be found on several continents, and the duo regularly participates in international urban art festivals. Despite their global success, the two artists feel a strong connection to their hometown.

I’ve also introduced TelmoMiel in my posts Best Street Art in VILNIUS, The Best Spots in HAARLEM You Should Not Miss, Best Street Art in ROTTERDAM, Part 1: North of the Nieuwe Maas, and Best Street Art in ROTTERDAM, Part 2: South of the Nieuwe Maas.

Gijs Vanhee

Gijs Vanhee is a Belgian street artist and illustrator who lives and works in Mechelen. From early childhood, he discovered his passion for drawing and graffiti, which later led him to professional training in illustration. Since 2016, his extensive body of work, which includes monumental murals as well as works on paper, canvas, screen prints, and digital art, has focused on telling a cohesive visual story.

His trademark is the so-called Freebirds, human figures with bird heads that symbolize intellectual freedom and the power of human imagination. In addition to his international festival appearances, Vanhee has played a key role in the cultural revival of his hometown. From 2013 to 2015, he was the official city artist of Mechelen and initiated and curated the renowned urban renewal project Mechelen Muurt.

I’ve also introduced Gijs Vanhee already in my post Best Street Art in ANTWERP – From Merksem to the City Center.

Super A

Stefan Thelen aka Super A is a renowned Dutch street and gallery artist born in Goes in 1981. Now based in Amsterdam, he is one of the most prominent figures in the international contemporary urban art scene. His artistic roots date back to 1994, when he began with classic graffiti before studying at the Grafisch Lyceum in Rotterdam and honing his techniques. He is known for his masterful blend of traditional painting techniques, graphic design, and modern street art, often combining photorealistic or hyperrealistic elements with surreal worlds.

His famous Trapped-series has become a global trademark. In these works, familiar pop culture icons are deconstructed into swirling, colorful ribbons, from which the photorealistic image of a real animal breaks free. Through these optical illusions, he playfully questions the boundary between fiction and reality. His monumental, large-scale murals and paintings can be found on facades in Germany, the USA, and the UK, as well as in prestigious museums and exhibitions such as Urban Nation in Berlin.

I’ve also introduced Super A already in my post Best Street Art in ANTWERP – From Merksem to the City Center.

I AM EELCO

Eelco van den Berg aka I AM EELCO is an artist and illustrator whose vibrant murals combine graphic structure with playful illustrations. He takes inspiration from Pop Art, comics, and the visual culture of the 1980s and 1990s.

Characteristic of his style are bold colors, striking outlines, and imaginative figures, often depicting animals, nature, or everyday situations. His works appear light and humorous at first glance, but frequently contain subtle messages about the relationship between humanity and the environment. He succeeds in translating complex themes into an accessible and optimistic visual language. In addition to large-scale murals, I AM EELCO creates illustrations, wall art, and design projects for companies, cultural institutions, and festivals. His work can be found in public spaces in the Netherlands and beyond.

I’ve also introduced I AM EELCO in my posts Best Street Art in ROTTERDAM, Part 1: North of the Nieuwe Maas, Best Street Art in LISBON – Part III: Moscavide, as well as Best Street Art in BOULOGNE sur MER – Part 1: North of Rue Faidherbe.

Blancbec

Sébastian Eeckhaut aka Blancbec was born in Brussels in 1976, where he still lives and works. A self-taught artist, he initially spent about ten years in the classic graffiti movement under the pseudonym VEKS. In the early 2000s, he reoriented his artistic direction, experimenting in his studio with geometric lettering on canvases. During a stay in Barcelona in 2002, he discovered the technique of paste-ups—hand-painted paper collages posted in urban spaces. This marked his transition from classic graffiti to street art.

In early 2003, he put up his first paper posters in Brussels, making him a pioneer of this technique in the Belgian capital. Over the years, the geometric forms of his early works evolved into distinctive, colorful humanoid and animal characters. In addition to his original poster collages in urban spaces, he now creates large-format murals directly on facades, works on canvases and wooden panels, and regularly participates in exhibitions in galleries.

On Instagram

To dig deeper into the subject and see more of the amazing art the above-featured artists have created, you can just check out their Instagram accounts:

How to Get Around

If you’re a good walker, you can visit the murals presented here on foot. However, we’re talking about a total distance of around 4 kilometers. Therefore, it might be better to use public transport, at least for the longer stretches.

In general, contactless payment is the most convenient way to buy a ticket on Ghent’s means of public transportation. Simply hold your bank card, smartphone, or smartwatch in front of the white reader on board the vehicle. A single journey costs 3 €uro and is valid for 60 minutes, including transfers. Note that there is no automatic fare cap.

If you plan on taking several trips during your stay, you can save money with a 10-trip ticket. This costs 22 €uro, reducing the price to just 2.20 €uro per trip. A major advantage is that this ticket can be shared: you can simply scan it multiple times in succession to check in additional passengers. Alternatively, a day ticket is a good option at 9 €uro, which is valid for 24 hours from the time of first activation on all De Lijn vehicles throughout Flanders. The same applies to the 3-day ticket, which costs 18 €uro.

Please note that you must check in with a physical ticket or a digital scan when boarding – regardless of whether it’s a single ticket, a multi-journey ticket, or a day ticket. Simply hold your ticket up to the reader on the bus or tram. Checking out, as required in cities like Amsterdam or Rotterdam, is not necessary.

You’ll find more important info on Ghent in my post Weekend in GHENT – Medieval Heritage Meets Metropolitan Vibes

Map

This map should help you to find the murals I’m introducing in this post. Clicking on the slider symbol at the top left or the full-screen icon at the top right will display the whole map, including the two layers of the legend.

Pinnable Pictures

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Disclaimer: I am very appreciative of Visit Gent for supporting my blogger trip by providing me with a City Card. However, all opinions on these services are mine and weren’t by any means influenced by my cooperation partner.