Across the United States in 2025, public spaces have become canvases for dissent, with a wave of powerful murals, provocative statues, and striking performances focusing collective action on a host of social and political issues.
Monuments and Messages in the Capital
Washington DC emerged as a central stage for this visual activism. On 23 September, a controversial piece of protest art depicting former President Donald Trump and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein was erected on the National Mall, drawing immediate attention. Earlier, on 15 October, a poignant ice sculpture placed on the Mall served as a stark, temporary metaphor for what protesters called "melting democracy."
The city's streets also saw Banksy-style posters appear in Georgetown on 31 August, showing a protester throwing a sandwich at commentator Pete Hegseth. Further demonstrations included an emergency rally on 27 August protesting an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, and a pro-Palestinian protest on 24 September where demonstrators were taken into custody by US Capitol police.
Nationwide Canvases of Grief and Demand
The artistic expression of protest spread far beyond the capital. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the fifth anniversary of George Floyd's death on 25 May was marked by the 'Say Their Names' cemetery, a sombre installation created by two University of Pennsylvania students near George Floyd Square.
In San Juan, Puerto Rico, on 6 August, art directly referenced the Financial Oversight and Management Board and the island's ongoing energy crisis. Meanwhile, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, an LGBTQ+-themed mural created on 25 August was ordered painted over by the state.
Performances and Human Installations
Performance art became a key tool for highlighting human stories. In Los Angeles, an installation on 17 July depicted people taken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). That same day, performers staged 'The Disappeared/Los Desaparecidos', a human art installation meant to represent individuals sent to El Salvador's Cecot prison.
Perhaps one of the most visually striking events occurred on 14 June at San Francisco's Ocean Beach, where participants formed a massive human banner during the No Kings protests. The activism continued in cities like New York, where demonstrators demanded the release of Mahmoud Khalil in Times Square on 12 April.
This nationwide surge in protest art, encompassing everything from melting ice and painted murals to living statues, underscores how visual language has become a fundamental pillar of public discourse and collective action in 2025 America.
