Remi Rough

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Remi Rough (born 1971 in London) is a British artist known for abstract painting, graffiti and mural work. He blends street-art roots with fine-art abstraction, creating work that feels both musical and architectural. Rough began painting graffiti in southeast London in the 1980s, starting with wildstyle lettering and moving toward simpler, more abstract forms by the mid-1990s. He studied at Croydon School of Art and spent significant time in Paris in the 1990s, where he connected with the Bad Boys Crew and artists like LOKISS and DARCO. Paris had a lasting influence, and Rough often describes the city as a second home.

Rough works on a variety of surfaces—canvas, wood, concrete and brick—and is associated with Graffuturism and post-graffiti. His career and evolution from graffiti writer to abstract painter have been documented in books and articles, and he has published material exploring the Ikonoklast movement. He is also a musician, producing experimental and electronic music solo and as one half of the duo Dead Can Rap with Mike Ladd.

His art has been shown internationally, including in Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Paris, Perth and Tokyo. He participated in the Dulwich Outdoor Gallery in London, contributing work inspired by classic art, such as a Rembrandt-inspired mural in Dulwich. In 1999 he painted three murals with Banksy, including the piece Dogma, and has collaborated with other major artists like Futura, Shepard Fairey, Eric Haze, Crash, Shok1, MadC, Mare139, JonOne and Stormie Mills. In 2019 he created a mural for NYC Pride as part of the World Mural Project, which was covered by The New York Times. He also contributed to the 2020 HELP Portfolio, supporting charities.

In 2022 Rough collaborated with Lubaina Himid on exclusive pyjamas for Pjoys, a project commissioned by Tate Modern, and he serves as Creative Director of Pjoys, a mental-health brand founded by his wife, Michelle Morgan. In 2025 he was featured on BBC Radio London discussing the Ikonoklast movement and painting with Banksy.

Rough lives and works in London with his wife, entrepreneur and mental-health advocate Michelle Morgan; they have a daughter. His work is showcased online at remirough.com.