people on an old wall

Near the Mercato del Capo in the historic center of Palermo Italy there is a warren of small alleys. On a wall in one of these alleys is a small series of faded drawings or painting.

below: Two women’s portraits – a larger classical looking face with a smaller more modern woman in the top corner. The old stones and bricks add a layer of interest to the images that remain.

two women's portraits, faded street art on an old brick and stone wall, textures, alley in Palermo

below: He’s painting a large face on the wall and it looks like he’s been doing it for a long time.

a man, seated, is painting a black face on a stone wall,  faded street art on an old brick and stone wall, textures, alley in Palermo

below: Painting at number1

faded street art on an old brick and stone wall, textures, alley in Palermo

faded street art on an old brick and stone wall, textures, alley in Palermo

below: Blue and red on old brick

faded street art on an old brick and stone wall, textures, alley in Palermo

below: The brickwork suggests there was once a small window here.

faded street art on an old brick and stone wall, textures, alley in Palermo

Photos taken February 2026

Ligama and Loste

A large mural in Bushwick (Brooklyn) NY called ‘Brick Venus’ was recently painted by two Italian artists, Ligama and Mirko Loste. It features large sculpture-like faces. The face on the righthand side is so large it extends off the top of the wall so that you can’t see her eyes.

large grey eyeless face in a mural on an exterior brick wall, looks like it has been carved from stone

Some colour seems to be creeping into the middle face. Colour and life.

By the third Venus, the transition is complete; she is no longer made of stone

The Bushwick Collective – a graffiti and street art project of artists from around the world founded in 2011 and still going strong.