Pistoia street art: when walls tell a story

In 2018, as part of the Garden of Cino redevelopment project, street artist Millo created No Hesitation: a large mural depicting two oversized figures who, by inserting a key into the area of the heart, open the wooden armor they are wearing. The work symbolizes openness towards others.

Daniele Capecchi's large mural adorns a wall of the Vitaliano Masotti municipal gym in the Monteoliveto Park in Pistoia. The artwork depicts famous Los Angeles Lakers basketball player Kobe Bryant, along with his animal symbol, the black mamba. Bryant, who tragically passed away in January 2020, spent part of his childhood in Pistoia and Cireglio.

Along the alleyways of Pistoia, you might come across artistic masterpieces revisited with irony: these are the works in the series L’arte sa nuotare (Art Can Swim) by street artist Blub. The author prefers movable wall surfaces, such as meter doors, turning anonymous and often vandalized elements into works that attract attention. 

LDB is a street artist from Pistoia known for his black stencil monochromatic works, which convey ironic or serious messages, often based on the figures of children. In Pistoia, many of his works have become iconic. You can also find two of his large works in Maresca, in the municipality of San Marcello Piteglio, commissioned by the Convivio OdV Association: one depicts a little girl surrounded by some bees in flight and the other depicts a child playing with a toy train, as a tribute to the historic Alto Pistoiese Railway.

On the walls in Pistoia, you might notice several stylized little men intent on experiencing small urban adventures. They are the “omini”, or little men, of Exit Enter, who have now conquered the walls of numerous cities, including Lisbon, Brussels, Valencia, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Venice, Naples, Rome and Bologna.

The village of Lizzano, in the municipality of San Marcello Piteglio, in the Pistoia Mountains, offers artistic surprises: there are about 30 murals here, created by different artists, dealing with topics ranging from the events of the Second World War to the rural traditions of the area.