ROA is a graffiti and street artist from Ghent, Belgium, born around 1976 according to the sources, although the record gives 1975. His work has appeared on streets across Europe, North America, Oceania, Asia and Africa, making him a recognisable name in international street art.
His murals usually depict wild or urban animals and birds native to the place where he paints. He often works with a minimal palette of black and white, although he also uses vibrant colours to show the flesh and internal systems of his creatures. Each piece is matched to its setting: in London he painted a large bird that he first meant to be a heron but changed to a crane after learning that cranes are sacred to the Bengali community.
In 2011 he gained particular attention in the UK when Hackney council threatened to paint over a 3.5-metre rabbit that had been legally painted in London. A campaign by local residents and building owners persuaded the council to change its mind. Other notable works include a mural for the Djerbahood project on the Tunisian island of Djerba and a two-storey fox in Bristol.
His legacy lies in the presence of his animals on the walls of many cities and in the attention his use of animals as urban imagery has attracted.