Andres Petreselli paints a mural on the side of a building depicting Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. AP

Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg is staring down at pedestrians in the heart of San Francisco where an artist is painting a massive mural of the Nobel Peace Prize nominee.

Greta Thunberg addresses gathering outside White House

SFGate reports Friday that Argentine muralist Andres Iglesias, who signs his art with the pseudonym Cobre, is set to finish the artwork of the Swedish 16-year-old in Union Square by next week.

 
Greta Thunberg speaks at a climate change rally in Charlotte, North Carolina. Reuters

Iglesias tells SFGate that he's donating his time to complete the work and that he hopes the mural helps people realize "we have to take care of the world."

He also painted a mural of Robin Williams in downtown San Francisco that has since been demolished.

Cobre says he was searching for a building for a new mural when environmental nonprofit oneatmosphere.org approached him about the project.

The nonprofit's executive director, Paul Scott, says he believed the artist would be perfect to create the first of what his group hopes will be a series of works honoring climate-change activists.

Associated Press