You think you’ve seen murals before? Think again. In a studio tucked away in Luoyang, China, one artist is conjuring walls that gasp, breathe, and lurch into your living room. Meet Bihuashiyuge, the Instagram sensation whose surreal 3D relief murals are so staggeringly lifelike, they’ve been known to stop people dead in their tracks, no exaggeration. With sculpted brickwork leaping out of the wall and painted dragons that could pass for pets, this is not your average coat of Dulux. This is wall art that might just follow you home.
Mural Art, But Make It 3D (Literally)
Bihuashiyuge (her name meaning “brush poetry in ancient pavilions”) has taken the ancient tradition of Chinese mural painting and pumped it full of steroids, artistic ones, that is. Her walls don’t just depict scenes; they embody them. Imagine a waterfall mural where the water isn’t just painted, it’s textured. Her work combines sculpture, painting, and architectural trickery to produce illusions so intense, you’re tempted to reach out and check if that koi fish really is swimming toward you.
The magic lies in her method. First, she sculpts the surface to create a raised, tactile canvas. Then comes the painting, meticulously layered to enhance shadows, movement, and emotion. The result? Viewers report feeling like they’ve stepped into an ancient Chinese scroll come to life. Or more accurately, one that jumped out and shook their hand.
Touchable Tales from the Past
What makes Bihuashiyuge’s work particularly arresting is her commitment to storytelling. Unlike abstract graffiti or modernist splatter, her murals are deeply rooted in Chinese history, folklore, and classical aesthetics. One mural might feature a traditional scholar in a flowing robe, gazing wistfully over mountains that roll right off the wall. Another might show an epic Tang dynasty battle scene, with horses charging toward you so convincingly you’d swear you heard the hooves.
Despite their historical motifs, the murals are anything but old-fashioned. They make use of contemporary 3D techniques that bridge ancient artistry with mind-bending modern spectacle. Her approach has earned her comparisons to digital 3D animators, except everything she does is entirely by hand, using plaster, paint, and pure patience.
Art You Can Walk Into
Bihuashiyuge’s murals do more than hang on walls, they take over the space. Her compositions are often so immersive that they seem to extend the room itself, altering perceptions of distance and scale.
Viewers find themselves involuntarily leaning, peeking around corners, or ducking from illusionary ledges. It’s interior design meets theatre meets optical whiplash. Even seasoned artists and muralists admit to being floored, sometimes literally, by the sensory realism.
From Luoyang to Likes: A Viral Artform
While she may be grounded in the traditions of the past, Bihuashiyuge’s fame is firmly 21st-century. Her Instagram page, @relief_muralart, is a jaw-dropping scroll of visual illusions that have gained her followers from art nerds to interior designers to confused tourists. Each post is a blend of progress shots and final reveals that show just how intricate, and astonishing, her creations are.
It’s not just the visuals that draw fans in; it’s the emotion. Her murals aren’t just art pieces, they’re stories carved into space, narratives that command your attention with a sort of peaceful aggression. And that’s why people don’t just look at her murals. They remember them. Sometimes with awe. Sometimes with a light case of vertigo.
