South African artist John Adams works on a giant painting of <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2012%2F12%2F11%2Fworld%2Fafrica%2Fnelson-mandela---fast-facts">Nelson Mandela</a> in a suburb of Johannesburg. Mandela, an anti-apartheid icon and Nobel peace laureate, endured 27 years in prison before becoming South Africa's first democratically elected president. Click through the gallery for other artistic tributes to "the world's most famous political prisoner."
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
South African artist John Adams works on a giant painting of Nelson Mandela in a suburb of Johannesburg. Mandela, an anti-apartheid icon and Nobel peace laureate, endured 27 years in prison before becoming South Africa's first democratically elected president. Click through the gallery for other artistic tributes to "the world's most famous political prisoner."
Ben Curtis/AP
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA:</strong> A giant mosaic of Mandela made from 5,000 cups of coffee is displayed at Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: A giant mosaic of Mandela made from 5,000 cups of coffee is displayed at Constitutional Hill in Johannesburg.
Gallo Images/Getty Images
<strong>GERMANY:</strong> A woman views a giant wooden head of Mandela in the city center of Essen in western Germany. Created by artist Jems Robert Koko Bi from the Ivory Coast, the sculpture is made of burned spruce wood and is supposed to stand for the fight for freedom.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
GERMANY: A woman views a giant wooden head of Mandela in the city center of Essen in western Germany. Created by artist Jems Robert Koko Bi from the Ivory Coast, the sculpture is made of burned spruce wood and is supposed to stand for the fight for freedom.
Martin Meissner/AP
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA: </strong>A mural of Mandela is displayed near his former house in the Alexandra Township in Johannesburg.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: A mural of Mandela is displayed near his former house in the Alexandra Township in Johannesburg.
ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>ENGLAND: </strong>A six-foot bronze sculpture of Mandela is lifted onto a platform in front of the Royal Festival Hall in central London. Cast in bronze, the sculpture was originally unveiled in 1985, five years before Mandela's release from prison.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
ENGLAND: A six-foot bronze sculpture of Mandela is lifted onto a platform in front of the Royal Festival Hall in central London. Cast in bronze, the sculpture was originally unveiled in 1985, five years before Mandela's release from prison.
LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages
<strong>ENGLAND: </strong>A foundry worker moves a crane after lifting a new statue of Mandela in Braintree, northeast of London. The nine-foot high bronze statue was started by British sculptor Ian Walters, who died in 2006, and completed by Nigel Boonham. Weighing approximately one ton, the sculpture now stands on the corner of Parliament Square facing the Palace of Westminster.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
ENGLAND: A foundry worker moves a crane after lifting a new statue of Mandela in Braintree, northeast of London. The nine-foot high bronze statue was started by British sculptor Ian Walters, who died in 2006, and completed by Nigel Boonham. Weighing approximately one ton, the sculpture now stands on the corner of Parliament Square facing the Palace of Westminster.
Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images
<strong>BRAZIL: </strong>A float by the Porto da Pedra samba school pays tribute to Mandela as it parades at the Sambadrome during the second night of Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
BRAZIL: A float by the Porto da Pedra samba school pays tribute to Mandela as it parades at the Sambadrome during the second night of Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro.
ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA:</strong> A woman holds a purse with Mandela's face on it in Johannesburg.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: A woman holds a purse with Mandela's face on it in Johannesburg.
Melanie Stetson Freeman/The Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA:</strong> Ceramic statues of Mandela are seen in a shop in Johannesburg.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: Ceramic statues of Mandela are seen in a shop in Johannesburg.
LIONEL HEALING/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>INDIA: </strong>Artist Sudarshan Pattnaik works on a sand sculpture in Puri to wish Mandela a speedy recovery. The former South African president was in critical but stable condition at the time, according to officials.
Photos: Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
INDIA: Artist Sudarshan Pattnaik works on a sand sculpture in Puri to wish Mandela a speedy recovery. The former South African president was in critical but stable condition at the time, according to officials.
STRINGER/INDIA/REUTERS/LANDOV
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA: </strong>A mural depicts Mandela near the Regina Mundi Catholic Church in the Soweto Township in Johannesburg. The church played a central role in the anti-apartheid struggle, opening its doors to shelter activists.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: A mural depicts Mandela near the Regina Mundi Catholic Church in the Soweto Township in Johannesburg. The church played a central role in the anti-apartheid struggle, opening its doors to shelter activists.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
<strong>NIGERIA:</strong> A model displays an outfit by fashion designer Deola Sagoe that features faces of renowned African figures, including Mandela, during the launch of Ebony Life TV in Lagos.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
NIGERIA: A model displays an outfit by fashion designer Deola Sagoe that features faces of renowned African figures, including Mandela, during the launch of Ebony Life TV in Lagos.
Sunday Alamba/AP
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA:</strong> Construction workers add the final touches to a Mandela statue outside Howick, South Africa. The monument will form part of the museum that was opened in the Midlands Meander at the spot where Mandela was arrested on August 5, 1962.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: Construction workers add the final touches to a Mandela statue outside Howick, South Africa. The monument will form part of the museum that was opened in the Midlands Meander at the spot where Mandela was arrested on August 5, 1962.
Ian Carbutt/Natal Witness/Gallo Images/Getty Image
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA:</strong> From left, actress Hlubi Mboya, former boxer Baby Jake Matlala and Thomas van Schaik from Adidas unveil a piece of art during a Live Quest event showcasing paintings of key moments of the 2010 FIFA World Cup at the Adidas Jo'bulani Centre in Johannesburg.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: From left, actress Hlubi Mboya, former boxer Baby Jake Matlala and Thomas van Schaik from Adidas unveil a piece of art during a Live Quest event showcasing paintings of key moments of the 2010 FIFA World Cup at the Adidas Jo'bulani Centre in Johannesburg.
Abbey Sebetha/Getty Images
<strong>NORTHERN IRELAND: </strong>A Mandela mural is displayed on a home in Northern Ireland.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
NORTHERN IRELAND: A Mandela mural is displayed on a home in Northern Ireland.
Kevin Weaver/Getty Images
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA: </strong>A mosaic portrait of Mandela made entirely out of Rubik's cubes is on display at the entrance of the Mandela Rhodes Place Hotel & Spa in Cape Town. It was created by artist Jan Du Plessis.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: A mosaic portrait of Mandela made entirely out of Rubik's cubes is on display at the entrance of the Mandela Rhodes Place Hotel & Spa in Cape Town. It was created by artist Jan Du Plessis.
Foto24/Gallo Images/Getty Images
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA: </strong>People gather by a Mandela statue in downtown Johannesburg.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: People gather by a Mandela statue in downtown Johannesburg.
MUJAHID SAFODIEN/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA: </strong>South African bank notes featuring Mandela are seen at an office in Johannesburg.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: South African bank notes featuring Mandela are seen at an office in Johannesburg.
SIPHIWE SIBEKO/REUTERS/LANDOV
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA: </strong>A person bungee jumps off old cooling towers in Soweto painted with a mural featuring Mandela.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: A person bungee jumps off old cooling towers in Soweto painted with a mural featuring Mandela.
ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/Getty Images
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA: </strong>South African artist Paul Blomkamp stands in front of the giant acrylic-on-canvas painting he made of Mandela at his studio in Johannesburg. He said he was drawn to Mandela because of his "exceptional energy."
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: South African artist Paul Blomkamp stands in front of the giant acrylic-on-canvas painting he made of Mandela at his studio in Johannesburg. He said he was drawn to Mandela because of his "exceptional energy."
Ben Curtis/AP
<strong>ENGLAND: </strong>Graffiti of Mandela by Paul Don Smith is seen on a door in East London.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
ENGLAND: Graffiti of Mandela by Paul Don Smith is seen on a door in East London.
PA PHOTOS /LANDOV
<strong>UNITED STATES: </strong>A fan wearing the colors of South Africa and a portrait of Mandela cheers in the second half of a soccer match between the U.S. and the Czech Republic in East Hartford, Connecticut.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
UNITED STATES: A fan wearing the colors of South Africa and a portrait of Mandela cheers in the second half of a soccer match between the U.S. and the Czech Republic in East Hartford, Connecticut.
Brian Snyder/Reuters/Landov
<strong>POLAND:</strong> A clock in Warsaw is made out of an old vinyl record and painted with Mandela's headshot.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
POLAND: A clock in Warsaw is made out of an old vinyl record and painted with Mandela's headshot.
PETER ANDREWS/REUTERS/LANDOV
<strong>INDIA:</strong> An elderly man in Bangalore holds a portrait of Mandela as he receives a free haircut to commemorate the 84th birthday of the former South African president in 2002.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
INDIA: An elderly man in Bangalore holds a portrait of Mandela as he receives a free haircut to commemorate the 84th birthday of the former South African president in 2002.
INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/GettyImages
<strong>FRANCE: </strong>Artwork featuring Mandela over the years is on display at an exhibition in Paris.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
FRANCE: Artwork featuring Mandela over the years is on display at an exhibition in Paris.
Maxppp /Landov
<strong>SOUTH AFRICA:</strong> Street art expressing love for Mandela is found in Cape Town.
Global tributes to Nelson Mandela —
SOUTH AFRICA: Street art expressing love for Mandela is found in Cape Town.
NARDUS ENGELBRECHT/AFP/Getty Images