Launch Recite Me assistive technology
A mural on a weathered wall features four phrases in red capitals. From left to right, they read “I GOT THE BUTTER”, “I GOT THE BREAD”, “I GOT THE MILK” and “I GOT THE BLAME”. Below the first three phrases are illustrations of a stick of butter, a loaf of “Wonder” bread and a tipped-over milk carton labelled “MILK MISSING”. Under the final phrase is a spilled puddle of white liquid.

Publication: The new Stephen Powers book documents all of his incredible mural paintings so far!

—
Date
14 February 2014

When it comes to mural painting there’s no image too big or too daunting for Stephen Powers to broach; giant Post-It notes splayed across several stories, roller-coasters, stair-sets climbing the entire length of buildings. His work adorns structures all over the world, and always with an unrelenting palette of vibrant colours, strong type and joyous messages, making it immediately recognisable whether or not you know his name.

This excellent new publication, A Love Letter to the City celebrates all of that celebrated giant typography that you might be familiar with without having realised it, plus a stack of other equally impressive projects that you had no idea existed. The result is a testament to positive effects of public art; in a stadium of grey tower blocks his letter stand out with tongue-in-cheek, funny or just plain nice messages to make everybody’s days a little nicer.

A large black banner hangs across a concrete bridge over a road. It features white and yellow text that reads “I PAID THE LIGHT BILL JUST TO SEE YOUR FACE”.
Above

Stephen Powers: Murals

A person leans their head on their hand while sitting in a rollercoaster car. The red front of the car features a sign that reads “Astroland Cyclone Coney Island”.
Above

Stephen Powers: Murals

A large billboard on a black building reads “ALL I NEED IS YOU” in bold, red and white polka-dot letters. Smaller white text below reads “AND NEW SHOES”. Underneath the sign is a storefront for “Fulton Fried Chicken” and a shoe shop with the letters “RD CPT” on its red fascia.
Above

Stephen Powers: Murals

A large yellow mural on a brick wall reads “THIS LOVE IS REAL SO DINNER IS ON ME”. Between the phrases is an illustration of a golden-brown Pop-Tart. Small black text in the bottom left corner reads “#23 IN A SERIES”.
Above

Stephen Powers: Murals

A collage of rectangular signs in various colours and orientations, all featuring the word “ADORE”. The signs are arranged in a grid-like pattern with different fonts and colour combinations.
Above

Stephen Powers: Murals

Large white lettering across the top of a building reads “EVERY STREET CARRIES US”. Below, smaller text on the concrete beams reads “I GREW UP IN YOUR ARMS”, “RAISED TO TAKE FLIGHTS”, “OWNING THE GROUND I HELD” and “STEEPED IN YOUR STORIES”.
Above

Stephen Powers: Murals

A yellow sticky note is attached to a textured grey concrete wall. Hand-drawn text on the note reads “REMEMBER SOMETIMES IT HURTS SOMETIMES IT DOESNT”.
Above

Stephen Powers: Murals

A silver train travels along an elevated track in front of a large blue mural. The mural features bold black text that reads “OPEN YOUR EYES” and “I SEE THE SUNRISE”.
Above

Stephen Powers: Murals

Share Article

About the Author

Maisie Skidmore

—

Maisie joined It’s Nice That fresh out of university in the summer of 2013 as an intern before joining full time as an Assistant Editor. Maisie left It’s Nice That in July 2015.

It's Nice That Newsletters

Fancy a bit of It's Nice That in your inbox? Sign up to our newsletters and we'll keep you in the loop with everything good going on in the creative world.