goatt_88: The street artist who beautifies the walls of Kos
It was November 2020. On one of our regular walks in Alyki, I noticed a young guy up on a ladder painting a girl on the wall of one of the abandoned buildings around Tigaki Alyki.
“Something nice is being prepared,” I thought, and I wasn’t wrong. A few days later, the familiar face of Amy Winehouse filled the empty wall with color and gave it life. Now that I think about it, maybe Amy herself came back to life for a moment through this wonderful street art portrait. Amy, an iconic figure in music, left this world at the age of 27.
By chance again, on a walk in Lampi, I came across another mural, this time of a great lady of cinema, Audrey Hepburn. I had already seen this particular portrait in photos my friends were posting on social media, and I was thrilled to photograph it myself. I didn’t make any connection between the two works of art though, even though they both bore the same signature of the artist, goatt_88.
When I encountered the third mural near Pappas Beach, with the beautiful face of Brigitte Bardot, the French star, I realized that “goatt” was here to stay. Brigitte wasn’t finished yet. Harsh weather conditions—wind, rain, and lots of sun—had delayed the work’s completion, which was expected in a few days. (I was eagerly awaiting the completion and the artist’s signature—I promised myself to return with a new photo.)
I don’t mention the artist’s name, because for now, he wishes to keep his identity a secret. Two British women and one French star were chosen because they were three beautiful women who, each for different reasons, left their mark on film and music history. Yiannis always had a talent for drawing—sketching was something innate for him. He believes street art is still in its infancy in Greece, and even though today it’s just a hobby for him, something tells me his future in street art looks bright.
(update: Brigitte has been completed, as you will see in the following photos)
Brigitte as she is today
(update: Brigitte Bardot is no longer there—she was erased by the wall’s owners)
He had promised more projects would follow, not necessarily with women but with people who left their mark on humanity. His works need quite a bit of time to be completed—anywhere from 6 to 20 days depending on his free time and the weather conditions. Within 6 months, I saw three wonderful murals brighten up the walls of Kos, and I was eager for more.
And suddenly, somewhere in A.VI.KO, another incredible work of art appeared: the portrait of the much-mourned Tupac (Tupac Amaru Shakur), one of the most influential rappers of all time, who was murdered at the age of 25.
A true masterpiece, Tupac joined the growing collection. The artist looks for walls to express himself, and we wait eagerly to see the next face that will inspire him!
His latest work decorates the outer wall of the Kos Indoor Gym, at 37 Artemisia Street. Dimitris Papoulis, the 34-year-old captain of Phoivos Kos, who was tragically lost on 3/10/2022, will forever grace the wall of the Indoor Gym, welcoming athletes and visitors thanks to the initiative of A.S. Phoivos.
Since then, wherever you turn, you see a new portrait springing up—near or far, in the center or in villages, on a small tavern wall or an abandoned building. If you pay attention, you’ll spot the familiar signature of goatt_88. That’s how another Tupac (Tupac Amaru Shakur) appeared in Lampi, on the road to Mylos.
In a small tavern, a mini jungle with tropical birds.
Beloved actress Bette Davis (1908–1989), at the entrance of Kardamaina.
The great musician—guitarist, composer, and songwriter—Jimi Hendrix, who died at only 27 years old (like Amy Winehouse) in 1970. The graffiti of Jimi Hendrix as imagined by goatt_88 is located inside Nea AVIKO.
And the most recent one (summer 2024) in Diagoras Square: the magnificent Beatles. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr crossing Abbey Road draw everyone’s eyes, and many tourists and locals stop to take a selfie with the Fab Four.
And in the streets of Athens, when you walk around Gazi, you’ll again see the familiar signature of goatt_88—like spotting a friend from Kos. In fact, it’s “The Notorious B.I.G.,” also known as Biggie Smalls or simply Biggie (Christopher George Latore Wallace), a rapper murdered at the age of 24.
Goatt, don’t give up! Keep going!
(update: 5 years after his first appearance as a street artist and 4 years after this article, the identity of this unique artist has finally been revealed. It’s Giannis Papakatsikas (hence goat), who is evolving into a remarkable artist. He spends all his free time giving life to the empty walls of Kos, usually on ruined buildings, but mainly portraying people who are no longer alive. He is meticulous with details and devotes himself fully to each project. He may be self-taught, but he is exceptionally talented and improves every day.)
The total number of his works—which has gone beyond Kos—is not precisely known, but if you spot another one of goatt_88’s murals, let me know so I can update my collection!
Follow the artist on Instagram: goatt_88