People & Places

Pop Art

2016 Winner: The Justin Bieber mural

Photo Credit: Nicole Popma

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Six months before Justin Bieber wandered barefoot around the Common, feeding squirrels and spending some time reflecting in a tree, he generated buzz with a little art in Jamaica Plain. In October, graffiti popped up seemingly overnight on the side of Ugi’s Pizza on Heath Street. “Where Are U Now,” read the bubble-gum pink block font, which turned out to be a plug for the Biebs’ new album, which dropped the next month. Painted by local graffiti artists Kem5 and Deme5, it was one of 18 murals across the globe commissioned to market the new record. Did it work? We do belieb so.