Yesterday in the Leake Street Tunnel, home to London’s premier legal Graffiti walls, a memorial Paint Jam for deceased Guerilla Street Artist Ben Naz took place with friends and members of the Street Art community turning out to pay tribute to one of their own, in the most appropriate way they knew how.

Marking one year since Ben Naz lost a long running battle with cancer, the memorial paint jam kicked off around 11am and run over the next seven or so hours with artists and friends joining together to pay their respects to a loved lost one. Whilst the atmosphere was one of poignancy, there was also an undeniable sense of fun in the air, as the attendees set to not only remember Ben Naz but to also take the chance to celebrate Ben Naz’s life also, to remember and spread Naz’s ethos to ‘Live Life Without Regrets’.

As the night drew in and darkness took hold, candles were lit and placed around the days works, adding a touching and certainly unusual tone about the Tunnel. Artists and attendees reflected on a day of remembering and fun and Leake Street was left with its freshest wave of new paintings, all in honour of Guerilla Street Artist Ben Naz. Gone but certainly not forgotten.

John Bulley at work.

Giusi Tomasello at work.

Dope at work.

Jarvis At Work.

Dope’s pile of used stencils.

Work by 13 year old duo Tho3e Tw1nz.

Selection of ‘Punk Queen’ stencils from Bof.

Work by Venus.

Superb work from John Bulley, one of the highlights of the day with this rather poignant piece.

Work by Rizla1.

Beautiful work by Giusi Tomasello, incorporating Ben Naz’s iconic ‘Punk Queen’ image into her characters crown. One of our favourite pieces from a great and jovial event.

Work by Jarvis, his second of the day.

Throw-up work from Perspicere.

Work from Perspicere.

Real quick work from Annatomix, who passed through briefly and placed up this dedication to her son on his birthday.

Great work from Dope.

A second work from Dope.

Work from Marv.

Work from Jarvis.

Work from Lisart, with a tribute to both Terry Sue-Pratt & Ben Naz.

Ben Naz tag created by Mixed Generations kids collective.

Those who couldn’t be in attendance, but wished to pay their respect sent along some paste-ups which were placed up around the painted pieces. 

Paste-up work from Hmmm Bates.

The days participants gathered together for the days end, marking a great and touching tribute to one of their own, a Street Artist no longer with us.