Rosalía mural destruction has shocked Barcelona’s art community after vandals painted over the singer’s portrait in Gràcia’s Manuel Torrente gardens.
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The artwork by local artist Adrià Bosch, known as AxeColours, had been on display for less than two weeks before being completely erased with white paint.
Bosch shared video evidence showing a group systematically covering his creation while others filmed the act.
“Goodbye, Rosalía. What are they thinking? A filming crew and just one can of white paint?” the Barcelona artist questioned on social media.
Rosalía Mural Marks Second Vandalism Incident
This represents the second time one of Bosch’s murals has been targeted at this location. Furthermore, in late May, his portrait of FC Barcelona star Lamine Yamal suffered similar vandalism just days after completion. Consequently, the artist has now experienced two major works destroyed in the same public space.
The replacement artwork features five animals riding scooters, skateboards, bicycles and roller skates against a plain white background. Meanwhile, the original Rosalía portrait showed the Sant Esteve Sesrovires singer in Bosch’s distinctive colourful style that has earned him over 44,000 social media followers.
Local residents have expressed disappointment at the repeated vandalism in their neighbourhood. Additionally, this incident highlights broader challenges facing public art protection in Barcelona communities where street artworks frequently face unauthorized alterations.
According to Tot Barcelona reports, the mural’s destruction follows a pattern of artistic works being removed without official permission. The incident raises questions about how Barcelona balances street art preservation with the dynamic nature of urban expression.
This Rosalía mural destruction underscores the vulnerability of public artworks despite their cultural significance to neighbourhood identity. Ultimately, the repeated targeting suggests coordinated actions rather than random vandalism, leaving artists and communities seeking better protection measures.
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