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Graffiti guru Jamie Marshall has been adding splashes of colourful characters across the kingdom in a bid to brighten up the island and introduce the popular painting style to aspiring artists.
When the 28-year-old moved to Bahrain a year ago to be with his girlfriend Janine Doporto, a professional photographer, he didn’t know what to expect from the island’s art scene. After he took up a post as a graphic designer at Neurobrand creative agency, he thought his graffiti days were behind him.
Little did he know that the bold prints and daring designs were sweeping the island and attracting youngsters to take up the art form.
Jamie, from Muqabah, said: “I had always intended to share my passion with the people of Bahrain and the opportunities I have been given here have been amazing. I was unsure if I would get the chance to paint as much when I moved here but, if anything, I’m painting more than I have ever done!
“This is a very exciting time for creative minds in this country and I think graffiti will play an important part in engaging the youth here with art.”
Last year, the talented graffiti writer participated in a series of workshops at the Red Bull’s creative space, Malja, in Amwaj Islands alongside well-known Bahraini street artist Mahmood ‘Huvil’ Alshargawi.
The duo shared their knowledge with a group of people keen on learning the ‘ins and outs’ of the trade. The participants had a first-hand glimpse of the artists in action as well as the opportunity to give it a go.
Jamie said: “Huvil asked me to come down and give a talk on the history of graffiti and to help him out with the practical side of things. There were between eight to 12 people, a good mix of boys and girls. They were clearly interested in learning about the culture which surprised me.”
During the workshops, Jamie explained that graffiti means different things to different people and is usually connected to Hip Hop culture including rapping, break dancing and DJing. His style of painting is best known as traditional graffiti.
He said: “It involves painting letters and sometimes cartoon characters on a wall with spray paint. It’s all about trying to refine your understanding and expressing your individual style through them. For me it’s always been about the letters. Understanding of shape, colour line and form are core principles of the art. The tag, which is basically your own stylised signature, is the foundation of everything.”
While Jamie promotes self-expression and graffiti work, he also believes there is a right and wrong way of doing it and discourages teens and other artists from tagging people’s properties. In most countries, marking or painting property without the owner’s consent is considered defacement and vandalism which is a punishable crime.
He said: “Defacing people’s homes is a sign that you are an inexperienced graffiti writer. Since the culture started, vandalism of personal property shows a lack of understanding of what graffiti is all about.”
It makes sense that Jamie would educate the youth about graffiti as he was hooked onto it at the age of 13. Born in Cardif, Wales, and living in Newport, Jamie was introduced to different graffiti pieces but what really captured his attention was a book he found with his friend Scott Leighton. Subway Art by Marther Cooper and Henry Chaflant is a photographic documentation of the subway graffiti movement in New York during the mid-80s.
He said: “To this day it is considered a significant part of graffiti history. As soon as we saw that book we were hooked and tried to recreate our own version of it. Those were exciting times. Newport, at that time, was going through a transitional phase in its economy from industrial to service so there were a lot of derelict warehouses to use for practice.”
Instead of spray painting letters in rundown warehouses, Jamie is being commissioned by corporations, gyms and event organisers to add a touch of urban art to their blank spaces.
He has painted graffiti for music and art event organisers, Boho Baha, film and video production house Go Peep, Artology art studio, Red Bull and even S.W.A.T Gym in Riffa.
Jamie also recently participated in a graffiti project for telecommunication giants Zain.
He said: “They commissioned four artists, including Huvil, to paint graffiti in different parts of the island to promote their ‘Addicted to Data’ campaign. I was asked to paint an advertising space on the side of Saar Mall. I was very happy to get the opportunity to paint in the area I live in and to have the artwork in a very visible place for everyone to enjoy.
“The feedback has been positive and has given me some fantastic exposure. Huvil and I also just finished a job for Unlimited+, a new crossfit gym in Hidd.
“In terms of scale it’s our biggest project yet. It’s a huge site and we were commissioned to paint the entire interior of the building.”
Huvil handled the Arabic calligraphy work while Jamie covered the walls in motivational tags. He added: “I love how accessible graffiti is. You don’t need to go to a gallery to see it. It’s a universal art form that brings people together from all walks of life. I love the challenge of rebuilding letters while retaining its defining structure.
“For me graffiti can be abstract but it must retain the characteristics that make them a letter. That’s the challenge. It’s not as simple as just putting colourful shapes on a wall. I also love that it is an art form that has a direct relationship with its environment. The location of the piece can have an influence on the overall feel of the work.”
Jamie is looking forward to getting involved in future workshops with his friend at Malja to continue his educational mission. Until then, he will be assisting Huvil with the launch of his store, Colourmaze, which will be the official distributor for spray paint company Montana Coulours (MTN).
According to Jamie, they make the best graffiti supplies in the world.
He said: “It’s going to be great for the country’s art scene as the materials are of a very high quality and can be adapted for all kinds of uses. With a physical presence in the country, I feel it could also act as a real catalyst in terms of getting people engaged with the art.
“I have met a number of young Bahrainis who want to learn graffiti through my Instagram account @016er, so now, with the right materials and spaces to paint it’s only a matter of time until there is a new generation of young artists on this island.”
Huvil’s store will be part of the art cluster and incubator featured in Al Andalus Gardens intended to create a permanent hub for the art community in Bahrain. This Bahrain Development Bank initiative, which is being developed and designed by Neurobrand, will consist of a series of ‘art pods’ that can be leased by individual Bahraini artists as studio space, individual galleries or shops. For more information, email jamadidthis@gmail.com
