Focus on Artist: MR BAD TILES

He comes from Madrid, but it was on the Mediterranean coast that he found his balance. Sun, sea, calm... and a whole lot of tiles. For over thirteen years, Mr. Bad Tiles has been transforming construction waste into urban art. Between Torrevieja and the four corners of the world, his mosaics multiply like giant pixels, blending raw art, recycling, and geometric obsession.

🧱 When rubble becomes color

Mr. Bad Tiles' story begins on a run. After constantly running in the fields around Torrevieja, he grew tired of seeing the mountains of rubble left by construction sites. Among them was "gresite," small glass or ceramic tiles. Instead of complaining, he decided to collect them to create his first logo… a cow. He hasn't stopped since.

Each piece is handmade from reclaimed materials, in a 100% upcycled approach. And his cow logo, you ask? It has become iconic, so popular that some people don't hesitate to tear it off to resell it. An anecdote the artist takes philosophically.

🎯 Throwing his mosaics to prevent them from being stolen

Mr. Bad Tiles has developed an unusual method: he "throws" his mosaics high up, rather than gluing them within reach. Why? Because at low altitudes, they don't last. Gluing a tile is good. Projecting it high up so it stays and resists overly curious hands is better. Recently, he has also started installing mosaics via drone, in short, nothing but improbable and hazardous projects that always end in semi-disaster.

The result: works visible only by looking up, by observing facades, building corners, neglected walls. Interventions that invite us to look at the city differently.

🌍 From Torrevieja to Paris, via social media

Today, Mr. Bad Tiles estimates he has installed over 3,000 mosaics worldwide. Some by himself, others thanks to fans who relay his work internationally. His videos on social media have gone viral, accumulating hundreds of thousands of likes and earning him international recognition, sometimes much stronger than in Spain.

He receives commissions from all over the world: artists, singers, YouTubers, influencers… Everyone wants their piece of Bad Tiles. So much so that he currently has a waiting list of over 16 custom mosaics to create.

🧩 Creating for oneself, not for others

Despite this fame, Mr. Bad Tiles refuses to take himself seriously. He doesn't see himself as an artist, just as a man who escapes by laying tiles. Gluing mosaics is for him an act of tranquility, fun, and freedom. He doesn't seek to please; he creates primarily for himself. And that's undoubtedly what people like so much.

🏢 A tile building in Paris soon?

Among his upcoming projects: covering an entire side of a building in Paris with tiles. A big challenge (and time-consuming), which he hopes to achieve soon, despite the constraints of family life. A monumental work reflecting his journey: raw, spontaneous, generous, and vibrant.

Next time you see a colorful wall on a street corner in Spain, France, or elsewhere, look up… a Mr. Bad Tiles might have passed by.

Follow his adventures on his Instagram account @MrBadTiles