jdl
former APA-Tower / Gunoldstraße 14-14, 1190 Wien │22.05.-29.05.2026
Jdl
(netherlands)
Judith de Leeuw, also known as JDL street art, creates large- scale murals worldwide in order to draw attention to social issues. In a period of 6 years she managed to travel and work over 41 countries, including big parts of Europe, Asia and the United states. Growing up in child services, she has seen many dark places in life. Today she uses this as a tool for empathy and understanding for the less fortunate, who play main characters in her murals.
In a short period of time, JDL has won two awards, and had her work exhibited next to Banksy and Keith Haring. While evolving, Her work was shared by major platforms around the world such as CNN and Chicago tribune. In 2022, she was invited by the king and queen of the Netherlands to welcome the Italian president in the palace in order to represent the international artistic collaboration.
In 2025, her Statue of Liberty mural—depicting the iconic figure in shame—went viral worldwide, reaching over 34 million viewers. The piece sparked international conversation on freedom, justice, and the state of democracy. This breakthrough cemented her position as a leading voice in socially engaged street art.
JDL on InstagramWall descripition
Wall title: SOLDIER FOR LOVE
Soldier for Love - a peace manifesto on a monumental scale.
The soldier is an unmistakable figure of war. But here comes the decisive twist: he carries no war flag, no national banner, no symbol of power or ideology. Instead, he carries a white flag with a heart. A sign of conscious choice. The message is unambiguous: this soldier has made a decision. Not for war, but for love. He carries this message on behalf of all those trapped in conflict: that there is another choice.
Personal reference by the artist:
The motif tells a deeply human story within a context often defined by harshness, strength and military symbolism. The starting point of the work is a real event from the artist’s life: her partner, a fighter jet pilot in the Dutch military, discovered a bee in his cockpit during a mission. Instead of instinctively killing the insect, he let it go free after landing. This small, almost insignificant moment forms the emotional foundation of the work.
The story reveals that even people who are professionally part of military structures cannot be reduced to their uniforms. Behind every soldier stands a human being with feelings, relationships and responsibility - a child of a loving mother, a sibling, a friend or a partner. What ultimately connects them all is the same universal desire: to love and be loved.
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