Barbara Graetzer Seaport, Manhattan, NY, 2025
Artist statement: My murals are about belonging and togetherness. I paint playful characters because they carry a truth I hold close: there’s beauty in our quirks, and connection in our vulnerability. We're all different, and I think those differences are what make us special. That’s why creating for You Are Not Alone felt so meaningful. If someone can see a piece of themselves in the work, feel even briefly that they’re part of something, that they’re seen, then the mural has done its job.
Barbara Graetzer, known as Barbtropolis, is a Brooklyn-based artist and creative director originally from Rio de Janeiro, with Brazilian and German roots. Growing up, she moved often between countries, and as she struggled with languages, she turned to art—the one language she finds to be truly universal. Her murals appear across New York and beyond, filled with playful, big-hearted characters who celebrate quirks, imperfections, and the beauty in simply being human. Her work creates pockets of joy and connection in busy urban spaces—small reminders that we’re all part of something larger than ourselves. Barbara holds a BFA in Visual Communications and an MA in Illustration, and also works as a Creative Director in the advertising industry. In her art practice, she paints instinctively and intuitively, infusing each character with warmth, humor, and vulnerability. Her Barbtropolis world is rooted in belonging, togetherness, and individuality—making her murals a natural fit for the mission of You Are Not Alone.
