'World-class' London graffiti artist Helch dies as tributes paid from art world

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Elusive graffiti artist Helch, behind some of the most famous outdoor murals in London, has passed away - sparking a flood of tributes from the art world and on social media.

The guerrilla artist gained a reputation for painting giant block words over buildings, concrete motorway bridges and rail viaducts as well as several rooftops.

Helch first came to prominence in 2018 by painting his eponymous tag in capital letters across a string of public spots in London as well as bridges on the M4, M1 and M25.

The tag was sometimes painted in stylised fonts or different colours, and occasionally appeared just as the simple letter “H”.

His identity has never been officially revealed, although he has been named in a Daily Mail report as Michael Purdy, 34, whose work featured in a sell-out show at BSMT in Dalston, east London, at the end of last year.

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Helch’s artworks did not always go down well with the public, with some motorists hitting out in anger in October 2018 when an old graffiti sign of ‘Give Peas A Chance’ was replaced on the Chalfont Viaduct on the M25 with “Give Helch A Break”.

But across the art world, Helch’s adventurous forays - usually carried out in the dead of night - led to him being dubbed “a world class artist” who “embodied everything we love about graffiti”.

In an online tribute, Alternative London posted: “We were so fortunate to witness him at work. We’ve never seen anyone do what he did before and there will never be another like him again.

“Above all he was a great human being who recently donated a share of his book sales to animal charities.

“Sending all our love and condolences to his family and loved ones. The streets of East London will never be the same again.”

News of Helch's death was shared on Instagram by BSMT.

The gallery wrote online: "Receiving news today of the untimely passing of Helch has left us broken hearted. It felt like he stepped into our lives out of the ether.

"Prompted by a moment of revelation standing outside of the American Carwash in Shoreditch - a triumph of roller graffiti and an East London landmark - I was so drawn to the enigma and mystery of the word I had to find out more.

"It took six months to get him to agree to meet in person, and in 2022 we released his first print which sold out within the hour.

"A stranger to the gallery world Helch was a true creature of the night, it’s where he found his vocation and the gallery walls were not always what it was about for him. We often had to recalibrate what this meant as we worked together.

"Over the past year his work progressed exponentially, he was coming into his own as an artist. A true perfectionist - he wouldn’t present anything that wasn’t to his standard and it was an honour to witness.

"An urban landscape without an H in it seems unfathomable. A life unlike any other, he was compelled to leave his mark on this world. There will never be another like him. Rest well H- your rollers have spoken their truth."

Fans of the artist paid tribute on X, with one describing him as a “huge part of London’s graffiti scene”.

Another wrote: “Very saddened to hear the graffiti writer Helch has passed away.

“A roller king & a nice dude - it’s hard to go anywhere in the UK without seeing a Helch or big H somewhere. Your mark will last a long long time.”

Helch’s death has not been confirmed on his website.

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