On the streets of Moscow, where winter’s slush and urban grit coat every surface in a film of filth, most people walk past the dirt-covered vans and trucks without a second glance. But artist Nikita Golubev—better known to his fans as ProBoyNick—saw a blank canvas.
A sketch artist turned digital illustrator, Golubev didn’t set out to be a street artist. His journey began in more conventional fashion—pencils, watercolors, and digital tools. But in 2017, everything changed. One day, while walking the streets of his city, he looked at a dust-caked van and didn’t see neglect—he saw opportunity. He pulled on a pair of gloves, brought out a few brushes (sometimes he just uses his fingers), and began creating what he calls dirt paintings—incredibly detailed illustrations drawn not with ink or paint, but by removing grime.
Yes, you read that right—he draws by cleaning. Selectively. Skillfully. Passionately.
“The layer of dust that settles on cars here is thick,” Golubev says. “It’s a combination of road pollution and antifreeze. It creates this perfect surface—one that just doesn’t exist in cleaner cities.”
Each piece takes 30 to 45 minutes, often completed in the early morning when the streets are quiet. Working with pre-sketched ideas in hand, he carves wildlife—owls mid-flight, sharks emerging from shadows—or brings pop culture to life with characters like Robocop or Baby Yoda. Sometimes, he honors Russian cosmonauts, turning a dirty delivery van into a cosmic tribute.
But these artworks are fleeting. A sudden rain or a trip to the car wash, and it’s gone. That impermanence, however, is part of the charm. It’s poetry in dust—here today, washed away tomorrow.
To preserve the magic, Golubev relies on photography. His Instagram feed, followed by over 130,000 people, serves as a digital gallery of work that no longer exists in the real world. In fact, many vehicle owners have refused to wash their cars after seeing what he’s done, choosing to cruise around Moscow with what they now see as mobile murals.
While dirt is one of his most surprising mediums, it’s not his only one. Golubev is also a prolific digital illustrator.
Nikita Golubev : Instagram
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