Image: Henri Rousseau, 'Surprised! (Tiger in a Tropical Storm)'
Digital mockup © Global Street Art
National Gallery’s tiger in the jungle turns into 40-metre mural close to London Zoo, Camden
Murals reMastered: The National Gallery invites the UK to lend its walls to the nation’s masterpieces.
Today, the National Gallery announces Murals reMastered, a bold nationwide collaboration with Global Street Art that will see some of the world’s greatest paintings transformed into monumental murals in streets, neighbourhoods and unexpected public spaces across the UK.
The project launches with a giant 40 square metre recreation of Henri Rousseau’s electrifying jungle scene, Surprised! (Tiger in a Tropical Storm) (1891). Located on Jamestown Road in Camden, London – a site with 1.8 million monthly footfall and just a stone’s throw from London Zoo – it will be the first in a series of striking, large-scale murals set to appear in towns and cities nationwide.
Spanning more than 700 years of painting, works from across the Gallery’s collection will be reimagined at extraordinary scale, bringing timeless masterpieces out of Trafalgar Square and into the public realm. By placing these paintings in new contexts, the project forges fresh connections between people and paintings. Created by Global Street Art’s team of contemporary artists, the murals celebrate a powerful dialogue between past and present – artists inspiring artists.
The National Gallery and Global Street Art are collaborating with partners from across the built environment as mural commissioners for 'Murals reMastered', with artworks appearing all over the UK. This includes Claremont Park in Brent Cross Town with Related Argent and Barnet Council, which will feature an iconic artwork inspired by the park town's 50 acres of green space and playing fields; a new mounted artwork on Carnaby Street in central London with Shaftesbury Capital; and a series of curated murals with Landsec across some of the UK’s most‑loved retail destinations, bringing celebrated masterpieces to the millions of shoppers who visit each year. The murals will be unveiled in spring 2026 subject to planning permission.
'Murals reMastered' builds on the National Gallery’s long-standing commitment to sharing its collection nationally, including through the Masterpiece Tour and Art On Your Doorstep initiatives that share major works with communities across the country. The project also aligns with Global Street Art’s mission to ‘Live in Painted Cities’, bringing public artworks to communities across the country. To date, they have produced over 3,000 public art murals.
The initiative follows the success of Simone Martini’s 'Angel Gabriel' (about 1326–34) mural on Fulham Road, painted by Global Street Art to commemorate the Gallery’s bicentenary exhibition Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300–1350. Since its unveiling in December 2024, the mural has attracted an estimated seven million visits, demonstrating a strong public appetite for experiencing historic masterpieces in contemporary spaces.
Property owners, commercial landlords, local councils and community organisations are invited to propose potential future mural sites. Walls must be safely accessible, outward-facing, clearly visible to passers-by, and available for a minimum of three months. Selected partners will collaborate with Global Street Art to realise a mural that enhances their space, brings world-class art directly into the public realm, and becomes part of an ambitious new cultural network celebrating creativity across all four nations.
Sir Gabriele Finaldi, Director of the National Gallery, said: ‘The National Gallery’s collection belongs to the nation, and through 'Murals reMastered' we are finding new and imaginative ways to share it beyond the Gallery’s walls. By bringing some of the world’s greatest paintings onto UK streets, neighbourhoods and everyday public spaces, we hope to spark curiosity, conversation and connection – reaching audiences who may never have encountered these works before.’
Dr Lee Bofkin, co-founder and CEO of Global Street Art, added: ‘We’re proud to be producing 'Murals reMastered', a natural collaboration between the National Gallery and Global Street Art, which brings the worlds of classical and contemporary painting together at monumental scale. Our artists are among the best muralists in the world, many of whom have been hugely inspired by artists in the Gallery’s collection. It’s an honour to recreate these artworks at such scale.’
For those interested in hosting a mural or wanting to learn more about the project, please contact Rosa Zhyan, Lead for Commissions and Public Art at Global Street Art: [email protected].
With a special thanks to our mural commissioners:
Notes to editors
Henri Rousseau (1844–1910) was a self-taught amateur artist who took up painting as a hobby. He viewed his painting very seriously, despite facing ridicule from some quarters. But a number of artists and writers, particularly from the avant-garde, hailed him as an important figure. He is now seen as a pioneer of ‘naïve art’.
Surprised! was the first of around 20 ‘jungle’ paintings that Rousseau produced, which are among his most popular works. These jungles are entirely imaginary: Rousseau never left France, despite his claim that he had served with the French army in Mexico. The foliage is a mix of domestic house plants and tropical varieties, which he had seen at the Botanical Gardens in Paris.
The National Gallery is one of the greatest art galleries in the world. Founded by Parliament in 1824, the Gallery houses the nation’s collection of paintings in the Western European tradition from the late 13th to the early 20th century. The collection includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Bellini, Cezanne, Degas, Leonardo, Monet, Raphael, Rembrandt, Renoir, Rubens, Titian, Turner, Van Dyck, Van Gogh and Velázquez. The Gallery’s key objectives are to care for and enhance the collection and provide the best possible access to visitors. Admission is free.
Global Street Art is Europe’s largest and leading hand-painted mural company, with headquarters in London, and offices in Paris, Brussels and Madrid. Their incredible team of talented artists and creatives design and paint murals all over the world for some of today’s best-known brands, fueled by the mission to ‘Live in Painted Cities’. Global Street Art believe that art in public spaces has the power to inspire and enrich communities. Founded in 2012, they have produced over 3,000 murals as part of their public art programme, including two editions of the London Mural Festival.
Landsec identifies and shapes places that create opportunity, enhance quality of life, and bring joy to the people connected to them. This approach has created the UK’s leading portfolio of urban places and established Landsec as one of the largest real estate companies in Europe. Its £10 billion portfolio is built around premium workplaces, the country’s pre-eminent retail platform, and a residential pipeline that will redefine urban life. Over 80 years, Landsec has honed this ability by spotting opportunities, building partnerships, and continually adapting to shape places that meet the needs of a changing world — places where life happens, where businesses grow, and where cities are defined.
Shaftesbury Capital PLC is the leading central London mixed-use Real Estate Investment Trust and is a constituent of the FTSE-250 Index. Our property portfolio under management, valued at £5.4 billion, extends to 2.8 million square feet of lettable space across the most vibrant areas of London's West End. With a diverse mix of shops, restaurants, cafés, bars, residential apartments and offices, our destinations include the high footfall, thriving neighbourhoods of Covent Garden, Carnaby, Soho and Chinatown. Our properties are close to the main West End Underground stations and transport hubs for the Elizabeth Line. Shaftesbury Capital shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange ("LSE") (primary) and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange ("JSE") (secondary) and the A2X (secondary).
Brent Cross Town is a 180-acre new park town development being delivered by Related Argent, in partnership with Barnet Council. One of Europe’s largest regeneration projects, this pioneering mixed-use new town will provide up to 6,700 new homes, with a mix of affordable homes, rentals, and homes for sale. A thriving new high street, new parks, squares, sports and play facilities, with brand new buildings for three local schools, as well as 3 million sq. ft. of office space are being created, set alongside 50 acres of open green space, all underpinned by core values of physical and social connectivity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness.
Current and upcoming National Gallery exhibitions:
The National Gallery Artist in Residence: ming wong: Dance of the sun on the water | Saltatio solis in aqua (Until 6 April 2026)
Wright of Derby: From the Shadows (Until 10 May 2026)
Stubbs: Portrait of a Horse (Until 31 May 2026)
Zurbarán (2 May – 23 August 2026)
Waldmüller: Landscapes (2 July – 20 September 2026)
Renoir and Love (3 October 2026 – 31 January 2027)
Van Eyck: The Portraits (21 November 2026 – 11 April 2027)
More information at nationalgallery.org.uk
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