Aleksei Bordusov | Eyes on the Streets

The Ehrenfeld neighbourhood of Cologne is a “hotspot” for urban art of all sorts. This blogpost focuses on some of the murals and graffiti that I saw close to the train station. It is one of many posts featuring art in Arheneld.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Erheneld station,by Herakut, a girl and her dog. dog is wearing blue and white striped t shirt

below: By the German duo, Herakut, a girl and her dog in a blue and white striped shirt with words “Ohne dich würde ich mich nicht trauen” (Without you, I wouldn’t dare)

by Herakut, a girl and her dog. dog is wearing blue and white striped t shirt. text on mural says Ohne dich würde ich mich nicht trauen

below: This geometric creation by Zedz is beside the Lidl parking lot.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, geometric abstract by zedz on side of residential building

below: “Matriarchy” is a mural by Ukrainian street artist AEC Interesni Kazki (aka Aleksei Bordusov). There are two naked women – one black woman riding a tiger and one white-ish woman sitting under a red umbrella. That’s quite the platform that shes sitting on.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, "Matriarchy" by Ukrainian street artist AEC Interesni Kazki aka Aleksei Bordusov

below: SeiLeise (Tim Ossege)’s depiction of Cardinal Woelki’s as a Star Wars emperor wearing a dark habit and standing between two soldiers from the imperial guard of honour wearing red coverings and a fig leaf strategically placed.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, SeiLeise stencil, archbishop in black hooded robe, holding staff, accompanied by men draped in red so heads are hidden but fig leaf over groin

below: This European flag is also by SeiLeise, a flag where the gold stars are being methodically cut off and removed.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, stencil by SeiLeise, older man, seated, wearing suit cutting yellow stars off a European flag

below: “A Chinese Fairy Tale” was painted by Dabtar and A.Signl who are members of the street art crew Captain Borderline. Amnesty International and Colorrevoltion e.V. were also involved. Apparently the mural is a statement (or to raise awareness of?) the human rights situation in China. It dates from 2014.

restaurant patio in front of a wall with urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, A Chinese Fairy Tale" painted by the street art crew Captain Borderline, A.Signl and Dabtar, dragon puppet, panda mask,

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, A Chinese Fairy Tale" painted by the street art crew Captain Borderline, A.Signl and Dabtar, dragon puppet, panda mask,

below: This 3D large mosaic head is an earlier work of Captain Borderline (2011).

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, 3D mosaic head by Captain Borderline, big white eyes and nose, red lips, closed mouth, big ears, bald

3D mosaic head by Captain Borderline, close up of nose, red lips, closed mouth

below: Once again, another Captain Borderline painting – this time they collaborated with local artist, Rakaposhii (mural ‘Mystical Wall’, shown in 4 photos)

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, mystical wall mural by Captain Borderline and Rakaposhii,

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, part of mystical wall mural by Captain Borderline and Rakaposhii, two women, in black and white

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, part of mystical wall mural by Captain Borderline and Rakaposhii, building with balcony railing, black and white tiled roof

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, part of mystical wall mural by Captain Borderline and Rakaposhii,

below: This long wall was designed together by two street artists as part of the first City-Leaks Festival in 2011 – Swiss artist Smash137 and Dutch artist Zedz (see above mural). It’s title is “Musikalische Komposition”. Between when this picture was taken (October 2025) and now (September 2026) the building was demolished.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, mural by smash 137 and zedz

below: “Häusliche Gewalt” (Domestic Violence) was created by street artist RIPO (aka Max Rippon) in July 2014

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, Häusliche Gewalt (Domestic Violence) was created by street artist RIPO (aka Max Rippon)

below: Lichtstrasse with RIPO’s mural along with a couple of paintings higher up on the adjacent building.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, street scene, Häusliche Gewalt (Domestic Violence) was created by street artist RIPO (aka Max Rippon)

below: In accessible – murals painted on a wall that is now behind a fence…. one of the pitfalls of art on temporary structures.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station

below: Potted plants, and/or plants in colourful vases surround a person who seems to be removing an animal (leopard?) mask in a mural painted by Gaupo Sapo (composed of YuMu, Krashkid, and Alexander Isakov) in 2017.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, Potted plants, and/or plants in colourful vases surround a person who seems to be removing an animal (leopard?) mask in a mural painted by Gaupo Sapo

below: A very happy spray paint can admires its work?

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, mural behind a fence

below: Posters with messages like “We are all brainwashed” surrounded by winged phones and television emitting concentric waves. Another message from Vanessa Slagter is “Grow Women Power – Grow where you want. Not where they want to see you”.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, three posters by Vanessa Slagter

below: “Any Europeans should see behind the wall” by the artist Benten.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, large monotone mural, Any Europeans should see behind the wall" by the artist Benten, woman holding hands up in front of her face

below: “Believe Israeli women” and “Make street art great again”. The artist’s ‘signature’ looks like biebezvrfarbe.rise

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, green poster with image of woman holding a sign that says make street art great again, also a small sticker says believe israeli women as well as small round sticker saying all we need is peace

below: A man and his hair.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, older painting of a man on a wall where plants have grown over the top of the wall and look like his hair

below: Vincent was painted on his hair even though this is Sid Vicious (of the Sex Pistols). This stencil Sid with a can of Fanta in his hand is by Petit Agite. The pink heart is an add-on.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, black and white stencil, large, of Sid vicious from punk rock band Sex Pistols. he is holding a can of Fanta pop. other small slap graffiti around him

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, grey mannequin lying on ground outside door that is covered with graffiti, wall beside door is also covered

below: A guitar player – with legs doing some awkward things!

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, faded painting of a guitar player

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, pink rectangle, face with oval slitty eyes and rectangular mouth, black dots on cheeks and chin

below: Four little bits and pieces – A NanE popsicle with a goofy toothy expression. A black and white Bustr (?) who seems to be gaping wide mouthed at the tiny woman’s portrait. The latter was made by Henry Paulson who seems obsessed with three or four young woman whose very similar portraits can be seen in a LOT of places. Last, top right is Little Vandal Cube by Reth.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, Four little bits and pieces - A NanE popsicle with a goofy toothy expression. A black and white Bustr who seems to be gaping wide mouthed at the tiny woman's portrait. The latter was made by Henry Paulson who seems obsessed with three or four young woman whose very similar portraits can be seen in a LOT of places. Last, top right is Little Vandal Cube by Reth.

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, large paste up with blaw, blaw, blaw in a text bubble

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, collection of slaps

below: More Henry Paulson faces… some normal, some with big lips, some with mismatched eyes…

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, arrangement of stickers with woman's portrait, all byHenry Paulson, all rather similar black hair and blue eyes,

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, street scene

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, train bridge over a street with traffic, the words love and peace painted on the bridge

urban art, street art, in Cologne Germany, near Ehrenfeld station, sticker with a pigeon head, yellow beak, wearing a white shirt with a collar

Photos taken October 2025

In Seville’s Poligono de San Pablo neighbourhood there is a growing number of murals on the ends of the midrise buildings that in the area. Since 2010, the group Arte Para Todos has organized the painting of most of these murals.

below: LEFT: “Younger Hands” by Josh Sarantitis.
RIGHT: “Planeta Tierra” by Luis Alberto López Cruz

below: A closer look at the mural on the left, a young child pushes a wheel barrow.

close up look at mural of child with a wheel barrow overflowing with things

below: And next, a closer look at the faces and abstractions in “Planeta Terra” – a horse, pink faces, flowers, and leaves.

behind a few small trees, a large mural called Planeta Terra, in Seville Spain, a horse head, a pink face, and other abstract colours and shapes

below: “Flemenca” dancer by Maya Angelon, Verónica Werckmeister, and Cristina Werckmeister, painted early in February 2023. The words were taken from two sources – a song and a poem. They say “NOW you understand just why my head’s not bowed – it’s in the CLICK of my heels and the BEND of my hair, the palm of my hand, the need of my care, ’cause I’m a PHENOMENALLY phenomenal WOMAN, that’s me.”

mural on the side of a residential building, multi storey, flamenco dancer, woman, in long red dress with black sleeves, text beside the dancer

below: Blue Earth map on Plaza Adoracion de Los Pastores. “Will tomorrow’s world be free?”. Signed INO, Wang Lu, Fl Vincent, Art For All 2010.

dark blue wall, with painting of the Earth as seen from space with Europe in the center, street sign says Plaza Adoracion de los Pastores,

below: A South American themed “Inca Dreams”

mural with kids playing in front of a gold, orange, and yellow wall with incan and south american symbols

below: Sleeping baby, “El niño” by Elninodelaspinturas, painted February 2023.

Large mural of a baby sleeping with pacifier, dummy, in its mouth

below: Two large murals and a green wall adorn the buildings.

Residential buildings with murals on them, 2 large murals, and one large wall of green. One of the murals is a man's portrait

below: A man divided, a man in two styles, a man painted by 310 Squad and given the title “Communist”. 310 Squad is a Russian artist, Stepan Krasnov.

below: All together in a banana-man boat, sailing through the water with the snakes and fishes in an imaginative creation by Nelson Roman. “El Cacique Banana y sus Guerreros” (The Chief Banana and his Warriors).

below: Yellow dots make the man – with a melting chin? Is he crying horizontal tears? The piece is titled “La Mirada Ilorona” (translates to the weeping look or the maudlin look) and it was also painted by 310 Squad.

with street sign saying Gallega de la Monde, street art mural of a man painted in dots by 310 crew. Yellow dots for skin, blue dots for eyes, white stripes for tracks of tears

below: Close by the weeping man, is another mural in yellow

part of 2 murals on 2 adjacent buildings, one is a portrait of a man with a large tree in front of it

below: “The Yellow Soldier” by Ukrainian artist Interesni Kazki (aka Aleksei Bordusov)

All in yellows, a mural by Aleksei Bordsov

below: “Agua Fértil” by Ivan Fiallos, rain falls into the water.

mural by Ivan Faillos on the side of a building in Seville Spain, a cloud is raining on a body of water. Some sort of creature lies at the bottom of the water

below: This is what lies under the water, a man on his back with his knees pointed upwards. A parrot sits on his knees while a dead? bird lies on his stomach.

part of a mural, a man lying on his back underwater with a parrot on his knee

below: She carries the city in a basket on her head as she wades past the ships and boats in a mural by Katie Yamasaki. The title is “Dedicado a la Infancia” (Dedicated to Childhood)

mural on the side of a building, a woman carries a basket with the city inside it