Residents of Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, have begun sharing photos on social media of murals that have disappeared from city streets — works that adorned building walls for years and became part of the city’s visual culture.
Users are posting archival photos and recalling their memories of street art that can no longer be seen today.
Dozens of comments and photos have appeared under one of the threads. Among the images are a well-known mural depicting a banknote, a realistic horse’s head, and a large piece featuring characters from the «Joker,» among others. Many commenters said they were sure these murals still existed.
«I didn’t know they were gone. Why? They’re part of our city’s culture,» one user wrote.
The thread’s author notes that murals often disappear when building facades are repaired and repainted by the mayor’s office, and they are not always restored. Residents say these works are an important part of Almaty’s urban environment and history.
People are also calling for the preservation of the remaining art pieces as reminders of key moments in the city’s cultural life. At the same time, street art remains one of the most vulnerable art forms worldwide, and muralists themselves generally recognize this — and have already begun working on new projects.
