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‘Falko One’ From South Africa Makes Non-Intrusive Graffiti That Interacts With Its Surroundings (40 Pics)

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Urban artist Falko One brings life and color to the streets of South African towns. After thirty-two years as a graffiti artist, Falko has played a significant role in the development of South Africa’s graffiti scene by leaving his marks on lonely walls. The artist’s awe-inspiring murals often resemble local wildlife which also cleverly interacts with various elements of the buildings, such as windows, pipes, or air conditioners.

In 2010, Falko started a project called “Once Upon A Town,” where he painted his way across South Africa, turning poor neighborhoods into open-air galleries that attract tourists. Vivid elephants in all shapes and forms are his most common and recognizable artworks. Scroll down to check his most incredible spray-painted creations!

More info: Instagram | twitter.com | Facebook | falkostarr.wixsite.com

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

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Final score:

172points

Bianca Küper 4 years ago

whow :-D

11points

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Falko One's career goes way back, he explained his background. “I started doing graffiti art in 1988 through my involvement with hip hop (very, very early days in our development) here in Cape Town, South Africa. It’s all I do to this day. The elephants in particular I started doing in 2014. I was in Dakar, Senegal when I did the first one."

#2

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Final score:

161points

Zanjero Johnson 4 years ago

Incredible work.

11points

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#3

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Final score:

149points

Bianca Küper 4 years ago

that is beautiful

8points

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The artist explained the motivation of the elephants and why he started drawing them. "In short, the people of the village weren’t happy with me painting chickens (‘cause that’s what I painted for a while before). The chickens caused quite a few problems. In that moment, and not wanting to waste the trip, I took a risk and painted what I thought would be ‘neutral’… And hence the seed was planted. Now my work has evolved into using air cons, windows, and trees… Basically, I’m trying to incorporate my works into society non‐intrusively,” the artist told Bored Panda.

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#4

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Final score:

147points

beja flor 4 years ago

A centaur, how wonderful!!

12points

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#5

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Final score:

145points

Monika Soffronow 4 years ago

Neat use of the various elements of the building

13points

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Falko makes a beautiful case for non-intrusive methods of painting so that graffiti doesn't clash with the environment, or with the locals, for that matter. Sometimes the graffiti may look great by itself, but it isn't responsive to the environment. Falko's work shifts this notion and coexists with the background. What are your thoughts, pandas? If you like the artist's work, you know what to do—show support and follow him on his social media links above.

#6

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Final score:

142points

Winnie 4 years ago

Please be careful little kiddo.

15points

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#7

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Final score:

133points

Your Mother 4 years ago

Really awesome! but can you show a pic of the light turned on?

26points

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#8

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Final score:

128points

Zanjero Johnson 4 years ago

That is gorgeous. soothing colors

16points

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#9

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Final score:

119points

Sawdust 4 years ago

Do not tune.

28points

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#10

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Final score:

116points

beja flor 4 years ago

Oh wow. Such a great integration of the house's details and great painting!!

8points

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#11

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Final score:

113points

beja flor 4 years ago (edited)

🐘 amazing bright colors, such a creative idea

7points

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#12

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Final score:

97points

Maryam Siddiqui 4 years ago

so beautiful

11points

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#13

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Final score:

95points

Monika Soffronow 4 years ago

South African Jazz & Afro-Pop Collection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRWWcIL6rDg

5points

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#14

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Final score:

94points

ⱤØ₵₵Øˡᵒᵛᵉ ʸᵒᵘ 4 years ago

ok this is creepy

9points

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#15

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Final score:

89points

Jurassic luke 4 years ago

Pretty please with a cherry on top!

12points

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#16

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Final score:

85points

ⱤØ₵₵Øˡᵒᵛᵉ ʸᵒᵘ 4 years ago

BEST EVER IDK HIS IS THE REAL ART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10points

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#17

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Final score:

85points

b l a n c 4 years ago

haha! this ones pretty cool

5points

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#18

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Final score:

84points

Up All Night 4 years ago

Look at them little fluffy dogs

4points

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#19

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Final score:

83points

ⱤØ₵₵Øˡᵒᵛᵉ ʸᵒᵘ 4 years ago

this picture has broken my eyes lol

32points

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#20

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Final score:

83points

bastillee 4 years ago

I love this concept.

7points

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#21

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Final score:

78points

Demongrrrrl 4 years ago

What an amazing imagination, to be able to look at both the structure and landscape and envision a work of art.

14points

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#22

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Final score:

78points

Mimi777 4 years ago

This would be cool painted on a nursery school or something

10points

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#23

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Final score:

76points

Monika Soffronow 4 years ago

This made me smile very broadly

8points

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#24

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Final score:

75points

Kesam 4 years ago

Melman broke his neck.

3points

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#25

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Final score:

74points

SoozeeQ 4 years ago

The child in the doorway is adorable. (And the elephant's pretty cute too - I'm half-expecting him to toss that lightbulb with his trunk).

1point

#26

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Final score:

72points

Flower Boy 4 years ago

i love this

8points

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#27

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Final score:

71points

pei meow 4 years ago

Cocka doodle fish!

16points

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#28

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Final score:

68points

beja flor 4 years ago

Wow

5points

#29

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Final score:

67points

Bianca Küper 4 years ago

Wonderful

6points

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#30

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Final score:

64points

Your Mother 4 years ago

Get out of my lawn you trunks. (Punks)!

5points

#31

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Final score:

63points

Phunny Philosopher 4 years ago

Incredible. The blending is amazing.

10points

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#32

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Final score:

62points

Amy Gannon 4 years ago

The burning bush looks so real!

11points

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#33

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Final score:

62points

Zanjero Johnson 4 years ago

image reflection nice

8points

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#34

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Final score:

58points

DforDorothy 4 years ago

<3

6points

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#35

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Final score:

55points

Spring Fisk 4 years ago

So very sorry

10points

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#36

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Final score:

55points

beja flor 4 years ago

Powerful

4points

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#37

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Final score:

54points

Monika Soffronow 4 years ago

With the same spectacular energy in the lines as you find in cave paintings!

7points

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#38

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Final score:

53points

Up All Night 4 years ago

Don't you say that trash bag will stay there forever for the sake of the graffiti

9points

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#39

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Final score:

50points

Marlene Ricker 4 years ago

This really brightens up their drab neigbourhood.

0points

#40

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Final score:

48points

Flower Boy 4 years ago

i showed this one to my brother (who's favorite animal just happens to be sharks) he approves! said that is was amazing uwu

4points

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Note: this post originally had 88 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.

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Hidrėlėy

Fascinated by music, movies and sitcoms, I'm passionate about social media and can't live without the internet, especially for all the cute dog and cat pictures out there. I wish the day had about 40 hours to be able to do everything I want.

Fascinated by music, movies and sitcoms, I'm passionate about social media and can't live without the internet, especially for all the cute dog and cat pictures out there. I wish the day had about 40 hours to be able to do everything I want.

Violeta Draseikaitė

My name is Violeta and I am an editor here at Bored Panda. I love reading memes for a living. It’s obviously much more than that, but I appreciate the variety of topics, information, and pics I get to see every day and share with the world! Those funny memes really make my day too. Being born in the ’90s in post-Soviet Lithuania speaks more about me than I’d like to admit. I’m still learning about the world and myself, but I do love my friends, traveling, art, and my cat. My favorite fact to share about myself is that I used to hide meatballs in my friend’s pockets at lunch so I could go play outside. I wish all those meatballs could find their way back to me someday.

My name is Violeta and I am an editor here at Bored Panda. I love reading memes for a living. It’s obviously much more than that, but I appreciate the variety of topics, information, and pics I get to see every day and share with the world! Those funny memes really make my day too. Being born in the ’90s in post-Soviet Lithuania speaks more about me than I’d like to admit. I’m still learning about the world and myself, but I do love my friends, traveling, art, and my cat. My favorite fact to share about myself is that I used to hide meatballs in my friend’s pockets at lunch so I could go play outside. I wish all those meatballs could find their way back to me someday.

What do you think ?

Nicky OldfieldDesciple 4 years ago

The man likes his elephants.

8points

Dorothy Cloud 4 years ago

at the beginning, he explained why he painted elephants & not chickens.

0points

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Bianca Küper 4 years ago

Awesome Arts. Some of the Works with Elephants are sad but also wonderful painted.

6points

Monika Soffronow 4 years ago

This is an artist with a lot of humour and love in him. My personal favourite is the mural of the zebra-striped mother and baby elephants. I like that he does not only paint in the rich areas of town. South Africa is dealing with a lot of societal problems, thanks to a large part to the awful aprtheid racist regimes of the past and anything that can bring hope (and tourists) to rundown areas is good.

4points

Leon 4 years ago

It has been 28 years since apartheid fell. Corruption in government is the enemy not the past. You from the outside right? I can tell.

1point

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Nicky OldfieldDesciple 4 years ago

The man likes his elephants.

8points

Dorothy Cloud 4 years ago

at the beginning, he explained why he painted elephants & not chickens.

0points

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Bianca Küper 4 years ago

Awesome Arts. Some of the Works with Elephants are sad but also wonderful painted.

6points

Monika Soffronow 4 years ago

This is an artist with a lot of humour and love in him. My personal favourite is the mural of the zebra-striped mother and baby elephants. I like that he does not only paint in the rich areas of town. South Africa is dealing with a lot of societal problems, thanks to a large part to the awful aprtheid racist regimes of the past and anything that can bring hope (and tourists) to rundown areas is good.

4points

Leon 4 years ago

It has been 28 years since apartheid fell. Corruption in government is the enemy not the past. You from the outside right? I can tell.

1point

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