Wall to Wall: Mural Art Around the World

by Mary Ann Fraser

An exciting tour of remarkable wall art around the globe, from prehistoric caves to futuristic wonders

People have been drawing on walls since ancient times. They do it to create beauty, to tell a story, to make a statement, or just to say, “I was here.” You can find wall art in a remote cave in Patagonia and a desert castle in Jordan, a kingly palace in the Republic of Benin and the National Palace of Mexico, a miles-long flood channel in Los Angeles and a sky-high rooftop in Norway.

In Wall to Wall , award-winning author, illustrator, and muralist Mary Ann Fraser takes readers on a worldwide journey through time, stopping to see amazing mural art along the way. Stunning color illustrations and fascinating photographs illuminate both famous and little-known examples, and lighthearted text tells engaging stories about the people who inspired or created them. A glossary, suggestions for further reading, and a section on the preservation of murals conclude the book. No reader will ever again pass by a mural—whether in a historic building, a museum, or out on the street—without stopping to take a closer look.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art, History

80 pages, Hardcover

Published May 7, 2024

Reviews

[Tonja Drecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

From cave man designs to modern day street art, readers learn about the every-changing world of wall murals.

Already on the opening page of contents, the wide range of wall art explored in this book is revealed. Thumb-print photos are pinned by location on a map of the world, fitting to the chapters listed below, which highlight each one. Starting with the Cave of the Hands in Argentina, works from Egypt, Italy, Afghanistan, and more are explored with actual images of the artwork and fairly detailed descriptions to their creation and possible purposes. At the end, the author opens the door with a chapter about what the future might hold as well as a section on preservation of these artworks.

Starting from the very beginning with the mural artwork found from prehistoric times, the variety of artwork through the ages and it's importance are discussed. Some of these are well-known; others will surprise. The text stays in a somewhat casual tone, letting the facts flow with the atmosphere of a conversation, but it is still a very information based read and comes across as such. So, it is for the older age group and aimed at those, who want to learn more about this form of artwork. This can be used for an art theme in classrooms (even just a chapter or two) and does offer a nice basis for homeschool settings exploring this direction.

The information isn't focused on dates and places. Instead, it takes a rounder view. I enjoyed how the author discloses possible materials and techniques used to form each work. The surrounding culture and intentions are also looked at, staying within the realm of the art piece. Other events and interesting tidbits are added, too, which offer insights into broader art trends in the area, things which might have affected the piece over time, and surprising insights, which aren't usually mentioned. It creates a rich mix, which goes beyond the usual facts.

Each chapter not only holds a photo of the artwork but includes colorful illustrations, which reinforce the other pieces of information being revealed. These stick to a colorful and simpler style, reminding a bit of picture book illustrations. This loosens up the atmosphere, since the text does carry quite a bit of knowledge. These also help bring across the information with more clarity.

This is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in discovering more about mural art and hits the intended audience level well. I'm giving this one a 4.5 and rounding up, and received a DRC copy through Netgalley.

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ Review ✨ Wall to Wall: Mural Art Around the World by Mary Ann Fraser

Thanks to Getty Publications and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

As a mural lover, I was super excited to see how this non-fiction book laid out murals and their rich history for kids. The 80-page book is beautifully-illustrated, dedicating four pages to each of its examples of muralism throughout world history.

From ancient cave paintings, Egyptian tombs, and Pompeii's famous murals to lesser-known examples like Mogao Grottoes in China, the Palace Art of Abomey in the Republic of Benin, and the temporary paintings of the Mithila Kohbar in India, the examples stretch through a huge range of time and locations.

More recent examples include Mexico's Los Tres Grandes, The Great Wall of Los Angeles, and the Berlin Wall. Choosing between recent examples must have been really hard, and more North-American-centric, and I'd love to see more contemporary examples from around the world.

The book was a joy to read and accessible to both kids and adults!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: non-fiction, children's/middle-grades, art and culture
Pub Date: 07 May 2024

[Ink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wall to Wall - Mural Art Around the World by Mary Ann Fraser is a fantastic introduction to mural art aimed at children and teens and is a fascinating insight into the history and evolution of wall art

I didn't realise that this was aimed at younger people when I requested it (being a huge fan of street art) but this did not detract from my enjoyment of this delightful book. It begins with ancient Patagonia and the beginnings of mural art with the Cave of Hands, travels the Silk Road, explores medieval frescos, even murals and graffitti art in locations of conflict and social upheaval.

This fascinating book is written beautifully and places wall art in many different contexts, from expression, to decoration, to recording history and social commentary. Very well put together with lovely illustrations that frame the artwork, a very good read for a younger audience interested in art

Thank you very much to Netgalley, Getty Publications and the author Mary Ann Fraser for this fun and interesting ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

[J. d'Merricksson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fraser’s Wall to Wall explores the history of mural art, from the cave paintings of our distant ancestors to China’s Mogao Grottoes, and Egyptian tomb art to modern mural work. Each chapter introduces a particular mural from around the world and discusses the history of the era itself, and the mural and its creation.

Each chapter is illustrated with lovely art all its own, and includes photos of the mural art in question. One pet peeve confusion is that no mention of Pompeii was made in the Herculaneum chapter, which I found odd as both were destroyed at the same time, and both had numerous frescoes. Mind, I'm glad the focus was Herculaneum since it's not nearly as well known as Pompeii. Neat for me was learning about Coit Tower, which is about 35 mins from my home, yet was quite unfamiliar. Likewise the Great Wall of Los Angeles. A perfect tabletop conversation piece, or addition to an art/ history lover’s library.

***Many thanks to Netgalley & Getty Publications for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Benjamin Fasching-Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned about a lot of cool artists and locations. (Non-commercial) Murals and street art tend to be closer to the "people" and our yearning for liberation and that is definitely a vibe here. The feminist Afghani artist Shamsia Hassani and the story of Mithila folk art painting, the Mexican Muralists, Keith Haring and the Berlin Wall are implicitly equated with prehistoric rock art, ancient Egyptian tombs, Pompeii frescoes and the medieval fashion show on the walls of Castle Runkenstein.

Mary Ann Fraser is an experienced and award-winning children's author and I love kids' books that don't talk down, books that supposedly grown-up people like me can also learn from. I feel like this book could help families to discover and discuss the street art and graffiti around them. For people without too many budget restrictions, it might inspire some travel. I definitely want to check out that castle in the Dolomites.

This was my first experience with NetGalley.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic book of illustrations and photos of the real Wall Art around the worlds with extensive commentary about so many things. It even includes an index and glossary. A smattering of the places showcased are Afghanistan, Norway, Berlin Wall, Mexico, Republic of Benin, the Sistine Chapel, another in Italy, Jordan, the Silk Road in China, Herculaneum, India, Nefertari's Tomb in Egypt, Cave of the Hands in Argentina, and in the US are the Amistad murals, Great Wall of LA, Arresting Art in NYC, and the Coit Tower murals.
Perfect for reading alone or WITH someone of any age including ESL in order to discuss many things about the art and what each represents.
I feel that this book is great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, hospital, or your local public library!
I requested and received a free temporary EARC on Adobe Digital Editions from Getty Publications via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fraser presents a fascinating look at murals throughout history from cave paintings to a female graffiti artist in Afghanistan. Readers will see how Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling, and meet Diego Rivera and Keith Haring. There's also a bit about preserving the murals of the past, and a glimpse at some of the exciting artwork being created today.

The book combines actual photos with Fraser's own marvelous illustrations to tell the artists' stories.



Though this is aimed at middle-grade readers, it is a fantastic read for anyone interested in larger-scale art.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Getty Publications for sharing.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t realise this was aimed at younger readers when I started reading it. And to be honest apart from some simplified language, the book is suitable for anyone. There is an emphasis on the history of mural art and it is fascinating. We visit Herculaneum, the Silk Road, Egypt, Benin and the Sistine Chapel, among other places. The illustrations are excellent.

There is a lot going on in this book and it’s well presented and would be very suitable for a young person interested in street art or as a project for an art course. I loved it and learned loads and I’m glad I read it regardless of its intended audience.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

[Reading Adventures · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love art and its many forms. I was so excited to receive this wonderful book as an ebook ARC. This book celebrates art in the form of mural art through the ages. I really love how the author celebrates mural art all over the world and from past to present. I am especially fond of the Egyptian style of hieroglyphics and was fascinated to learn about more art that I didn’t consider murals. We get to see art from famous to little known, from Egypt to the street. This book is great for any art lover. Perfect for anyone who loves to find a way to express themselves through art. I discovered a lot I didn’t know and I am happy to have found this book.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
I read a digital copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley.
From cave art to more modern murals on building walls and roofs, Fraser takes a look at the art of the mural and how only such a large canvas can sometimes express big ideas such as humanity, the divine, the human condition, and how we are all connected. Absolutely fascinating.

[Nitoy Gonzales · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first it seems the book is a DK for kids but its a good reference to the history of Mural art. Love the images and essays on the book. Highly recommended!

[Sienna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lowkey I love art so much

[Jakki (BizzyBookNook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this more than I originally thought that I would. There was so much information and beautiful art packed into this book. There are definitely some things that I have noted into my bucket list of things that I would like to see in person.