These Secret Works Of Art Are Hidden In Street Signs All Over The World

Next time you’re traveling in a new city, check to see if the street signs are really as normal as you may think.

French artist Clet Abraham has been placing his discreet and fun stickers to street signs across the globe for years, but they’re not so easy to spot if you aren’t looking for them!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BSv1qvPgYa9/?hl=en&taken-by=cletabraham

From Florence to London to Hong Kong, Clet applies his guerrilla art to a very unlikely source. In his choice of traffic signs, the street artist risks that some won’t ever notice his work, but he is so creative in his alterations that most people do – and he has the Insta following to prove it!

https://www.instagram.com/p/-pybmLG0Oq/?hl=en&taken-by=cletabraham

From turning yield signs into praying hands to making cat faces out of no-entry ones, his playful work not only makes observers smile but also, thanks to his careful planning, does not alter the meaning of the signs themselves, so neither drivers nor pedestrians are at risk.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc2MUp1loV_/?hl=en&taken-by=cletabraham

Though much of his work is playful and light in tone, some of his pieces bridge more serious topics, such as this Do Not Enter sign on the Manhattan Bridge bearing the Statue of Liberty, which begs greater questions of borders, politics and freedom in America.

https://www.instagram.com/p/uqP5s-m0CY/?hl=en&taken-by=cletabraham

No matter the subject matter, the work is considered graffiti and hence is still illegal in many cities, so Clet has to be careful to work stealthily and in the dark in places where his artwork is not altogether welcome. Due to this, he tends to apply his artwork at night and says he can do it in as quickly as just 10 seconds!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BbNd1v1lBAK/?hl=en&taken-by=cletabraham

Legalities aside, Clet’s art is celebrated by the art world and can be viewed in many international galleries as well as on its original canvas: the streets.

https://www.instagram.com/p/55dUtvm0HU/?hl=en&taken-by=cletabraham

https://www.instagram.com/p/4MBzCxm0Go/?hl=en&taken-by=cletabraham

https://www.instagram.com/p/zotfZAm0OU/?hl=en&taken-by=cletabraham

About the author

India Irving

Social Media Editor

Born and raised in LA, India studied Drama at the University of Southern California before shifting her focus to the visual arts. After moving to London in 2013, she co-founded the iOS app ArtAttack which focused on connecting emerging artistic talent with galleries and collectors. Following that she worked at Albany Arts Communications, a boutique Art PR firm in Fitzrovia before joining Culture Trip. Aside from art and theatre, India's other passions include travel, food, books and dance.