Helch

Helch
The give helch a break graffiti over the Chalfont Viaduct
Born1991 or 1992
Died(2026-08-00)August 2026 (aged 34)
Notable workgive helch a break
StyleRoller
MovementGraffiti
Websitehelchlondon.com
Tag

Helch (1991 or 1992 – August 2026), often stylised as HELCH, was the tag of a pseudonymous graffiti artist, who operated mainly in the United Kingdom, and was known for his stylised capital lettering. Brought up in Hayes, Hillingdon, Helch first came to public prominence in 2018 with his alteration of the "give peas a chance" graffiti on the Chalfont Viaduct over the M25 to "helch: a chance taken" and later "give helch a break". The Helch tag later spread across walls and rooftoops across London, 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'.

On 29 August 2026, Helch was reported to have died, aged 34. The art gallery he partnered with, BSMT, confirmed his death and paid tribute to him the following day.

The HELCH tag overlooking Sloane Square station

References

  1. ↑ Frankel, Eddy (1 September 2026). "HRH Helch: the graffiti artist who left an indelible mark on high-rise Britain". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2026.
  2. ↑ Davis, Barney (30 August 2026). "Mysterious graffiti legend Helch who 'upset' Queen Elizabeth dies". Metro. Archived from the original on 31 August 2026. Retrieved 2 September 2026.
  3. ↑ Clifton, Katy (20 September 2018). "Motorists devastated as iconic 'Give Peas a Chance' graffiti is erased". London Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 20 September 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2026.
  4. ↑ "Who is HELCH? How one graffiti artist made a lot of enemies". The Guardian. 27 August 2019. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  5. ↑ "Helch graffiti". Art of the State. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  6. ↑ "Petition calls for M25 'give peas a chance' graffiti return". BBC News. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "What does Helch mean as the word appears on graffiti across London?". Metro. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  8. ↑ Hadadi, Dror (25 November 2024). "HELCH Graffiti". Street Art & Graffiti. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Oluwalana, Ayokunle (15 February 2026). "The unsolved mystery of HELCH whose giant graffiti is all over London when you look up". MyLondon. Retrieved 29 August 2026.
  10. ↑ Wilson, Shaun (30 August 2026). "'World class' London graffiti artist Helch 'dies' as tributes paid from art world". The Standard. Retrieved 30 August 2026.
  11. ↑ Jamie Grierson (1 September 2026). "Prolific UK graffiti artist Helch dies". The Guardian.