The Lost Murals of Venice

The Lost Murals of Venice offer a glimpse into the past, to an era when the Venice community embodied the counterculture spirit that defined the 1970’s. A colorful and psychedelic vision of a city by the ocean emerged and transformed into imaginary mural landscapes that challenged our perception of reality. In essence, the ocean side murals were a reflection of an ever-changing city, continually shaped by the people and cultures that arrived to its shores. Venice has always been a city like no other, and in the 1970’s it was at the center of social change, cultural shifts, and artistic exploration. The spirit of this era captured the imagination of visitors far and wide, and became the inspiration for some of the most enigmatic murals to have ever been painted at the edge of the Pacific. The selected murals were painted by renowned artists, many of whom are no longer present; and while most of these murals are long gone, they have been woven into the memory of a place in time that will never be forgotten.

Text by Venice artist and local, Pilar Castillo, 2024.