The Best Street Art and Graffiti of 2014 (So Far)

Image via Complex Original

Location: Baltimore

Through the simple application of black paint, Vulpes Vulpes conveys complex political messages. A self-identified anarchist, the foxes depict solidarity through sharing food. What's even more astounding is that this piece was completed illegally with support of the surrounding neighborhood.

Location: Montreal, Canada

Alexis Diaz recently completed this mural as a part of Montreal's MURAL festival, which in the past two years has helped to produce several walls included in the Best Murals of the Year. In typical fashion, the artist has used detailed line work to exquisitely render fauna. The use of colors reminiscent of a sunset add to his nature-based imagery.

Location: New York

While in town for SCOPE Art Fair, Know Hope collaborated with New York-based Aakash Nihalani. The clean lines of each artist's work create a playful piece that explores dimensionality.

Location: Montreal, Canada

Taking advantage of the raw brick surface, Rone created a ghostly portrait for MURAL Festival in Montreal. The artist was also sure to incorporate the previously existing tags into his figure, leaving the paint translucent enough to let them show through.

Location: Montreal, Canada

French artist Kashink created this fun, poppy character for MURAL Festival Montreal. Her bold graphics and bright colors enliven the surrounding neighborhood. Pictured is her favorite figure, a chubby man.

Location: Rome

For Avanguardie Urbane Street Art Festival in Rome, Jaz called upon his signiature luchadores characters and painted them several stories tall. The skillfullness, scale, and prominence of the figures make this piece noteworthy.

Location: Baltimore

El Decertor tackled the immigrant experience for Open Walls Baltimore's second year. This can be seen through a series of birds with a figure's portrait overlaid on each as they fly away.

Location: Fondi, Italy

Etnik was one of several artists invited to paint in Fondi, Italy for Memorie Urbane Festival. His color choice and use of space draws viewers' eyes to the surrounding blue sky and far off mountains.

Location: London

Borondo practiced perfect placement when he depicted the myth of Narcissus in London. The short version of the myth is that Narcissus was so in love with his own reflection that he drowned in the water he used to look at himself in. Here, Borondo has used the water to literally reflect the myth.

Location: Istanbul

M-City is known for creating high contrast black and white images, which usually focus on industrial icons like gears. Here, the artist applies his style to depict a sci-fi utopia. We say "utopia," because the only cars being abducted by the extraterrestrials are police vehicles.

Location: New York

Keely and Smells have dominated New York for years through stickers, rollers, wheatpastes, tags, and more. Recently, the duo, as well as other writers, have been working to develop new aesthetics in graffiti, including hybrid pieces. Here, extinguishers mix with spray paint to create tall letterforms with rough edges that mimic Keely's characters.

Location: Baltimore

Katey Truhn and Jessie Unterhalter's mural exudes positive energy through the playful use of shapes and pastel colors. What was once a narrow, shaded alleyway in Baltimore has come alive thanks to the duo's colossal mural whose patterns continue onto the sidewalk.

Location: New York

Following Open Walls Baltimore, Italy-based Osmo partnered with Brooklyn local Gabriel Specter for Juicy Art Festival in New York. While Specter has dabbled in minimalism, Ozmo typically creates figurative murals with an emphasis on portraiture. Typically with collaborations, pieces of each artist can be seen in the commingling of hands. However, by stretching out of their comfort zones, Specter and Ozmo have created an engaging piece.

Location: Dunedin, New Zealand

Painted on a column by the water, Phlegm's perched bird appears at home. By chosing the perfect spot, his piece stands out against the animal's natural habitat with waves crashing in the background.

Location: Tuscany, Italy

The clean lines of 2501's style juxtapose with the crumbling facade of this abandoned building in Tuscany. The remote location and mystery surrounding the space only add to the intrigue.

Location: Honolulu

Each year at POW! WOW! Hawaii, Kamea Hadar astounds viewers with collaborative pieces. 2014 (so far) is no different, as he partnered with Defer and Norm on a calligraphic portrait. The detailed curves of the letterforms, created by Defer and Norm, add a delicate layer to the bold figure.

Location: New York

Keely, Deeker, and Sweet Toof embody the raw, chaotic nautre of graffiti in their collaboration. In an anarchy of gnashing teeth and body parts, their characters combine to form something gruesome but enticing.

Location: New York

The Bushwick Collective has allowed for some of the most seamless collaborative murals, including Nychos and Smithe last year. Recently, they facilitated this mural between Case Ma'Claim and Pixel Pancho. While elements of each of their stylesare present, like Case's green hues and Pixel's gears, the duo worked together to create an astounding mural that highlights each other's strengths.

Location: Oaxaca, Mexico

Nada by Axel Void represents the perfect intersection of location and subject matter created with a painterly hand. It's an image taken of an immigrant who was assaulted while traveling freights in Mexico. The historic background coupled with the haunting atmosphere created by painting in a decade-long abandoned train yard is made to stay in viewers' collective memory.