In the newly renovated port area, a huge mural has sprung up covering 3,000 square metres (32,000 square feet). It’s called Ethnicities and features faces of indigenous people from across the world.
The mural, by Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra, is billed as the largest in the world. It’s been inspired by the Olympic rings that represent the five continents of the world that come together to compete in the Games.
Around 100 gallons of white paint, 1,500 litres of coloured paint and at least 3,500 cans of spray paint went into creating Kobra’s massive piece of street art.
“I was really happy I got to display my work here in Rio de Janeiro,” Kobra, 40, from Sao Paulo, is reported to say in an article on the Rio2016 website.
Time-lapse video of Kobra’s work
Lighting up iconic Rio hotel
At night the exterior of the iconic Copacabana Palace hotel becomes a canvas for projections by Irish artist Kristjana S. Williams, which shows butterflies that represent all the countries taking part in the Olympic Games.
Larger than life
French artist JR has also got in on the Rio action, creating two striking art works in the city – depicting athletic figures, set on metal scaffolding.