LONDON.- A giant 40 square-metre hand-painted recreation of Henri Rousseau’s electrifying jungle scene, Surprised! (Tiger in a Tropical Storm) (1891) has been unveiled 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 re-created from National Gallery pictures set to appear in towns and cities nationwide.

Murals reMastered, a bold nationwide collaboration with Global Street Art, will see some of the world’s greatest paintings transformed into monumental murals in streets, neighbourhoods and unexpected public spaces across the UK.

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.’