GRAFFITI artist Helch who created a number of iconic murals has sadly died.

The elusive street artist spent years painting giant block capitals across motorway bridges, rail viaducts and city rooftops over a number of years.

The word "HELCH" spray-painted in pink and blue block letters on a brick wall.The Helch tag has also been emblazoned on numerous London railway and tube stations, including Sloane Square Credit: Twitter Windsor Castle with the word "HELCH" written on a brick viaduct in the foreground.Helch’s 60ft tag on a railway viaduct nearby Windsor Castle Credit: Nick Obank

The anonymous graffiti artist first emerged around 2018, rapidly blanketing high-profile locations across London and the Home Counties with massive roller lettering.

His tag HELCH has been scrawled on a number of other sites in and around including many bridges on the M4, M1 and M25.

The tag spread across the capital in increasingly stylised forms in a range of colours, either alone, or as a wider set of slogans, or sometimes just as an ornate letter H.

It has also been emblazoned on London railway and tube stations and disused buildings.

NINTCHDBPICT000516218556The HELCH graffiti at a London railway station Credit: Twitter NINTCHDBPICT000516218535A funny Helch graffiti piece on the M4 Credit: Twitter

The sad news of his death was revealed by BSMT space, an urban contemporary art gallery in Dalston, London.

The gallery said on Instagram: “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.”

Alternative London praised Helch as a “world class artist” who “embodied everything that we love about graffiti”.

The tribute added: “We always half-joked on tours that we were unofficial Heads of the Helch Fan Club. Seeing all the tributes over the past 24 hours has shown us what a big club that is.

“He embodied everything that we love about graffiti. He was also a perfectionist and a world class artist. 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.”

Helch and his real identity remains a mystery despite speculation over the years.

A major flashpoint came in 2019, when a massive 3m by 18m “HELCH” tag appeared on a rail viaduct in Royal Windsor.

Painted in bold white block capitals, the giant lettering sat in direct view of Windsor Castle.

The bold move reportedly left royal officials furious with the late Queen Elizabeth II left “extremely upset” by the eyesore spoiling the scenery right on her doorstep

The beloved ‘Give Peas A Chance’ mural over the M25 in Buckinghamshire was also painted over by the graffiti artist and replaced with ‘Give Helch A Break’.

Beyond bridge arches, the painter has targeted historic “ghost signs” like the old Philco advert in Hanger Lane.

Helch has also transformed an M4 bridge slogan into “Boris is HELCH,” and slapped tags across Shoreditch, Camden, and the Tube network.

However, the graffiti artist made a rare move into the formal art world in December 2025 as he launched a debut solo show, “NO HALF MEASURES,” at BSMT Gallery.

The exhibition ran from December 4, 2025 to January 18, 2026 at BSMT SPACE, an urban art gallery in Dalston, East London.

The show featured 33 original works with Helch incorporating actual street materials into their fine art pieces.

Helch painted acrylics onto reclaimed scaffolding board sand made hand-painted wooden sculptures alongside traditional acrylic-on-canvas works.