London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London

All-female London street art group the Wom Collective kicked off the new year by hosting a circus-themed paint jam in the Leake Street Arches Graffiti Tunnel in South London.

WOM Collective Street Art Paint Jam

With social media algorithms, what they are, and Instagram posts no longer seen in chronological order, I had missed the Wom Collective post shared on their Instagram account announcing the London paint jam. The event was an open invitation for women in street art of all levels to join the collective for a day of urban art painting and fun, to celebrate the new year.

It was by chance that I stumbled upon the WOM Collective's Leake Street Tunnel paint jam. I had seen a mural by another street artist online and while south of the river, I walked over to the Leake Street tunnels located beneath Waterloo station in the hope of catching the work in person. 

With such a high turnover of murals, street art, and graffiti art in the Leake Street tunnels, it is very easy to miss a lot of great artwork here. Some of the artworks are now lasting less than 24 hours before getting painted over with something else by other graffiti and street artists.

London's Leake Street Tunnels - London's legal graffiti walls

The entrance to Leake Street Tunnels pictured above was photographed late evening. The semi-legal graffiti tunnel space is open 24 hours a day.

Who are the WOM Collective?

Founded in August 2019 by a group of London-based female street and contemporary artists, the Wom Collective includes Spanish street artist Elena González better known as ELNO, Spanish artist Lours, London-based artist Carleen De Sözer, and photographer/artist Raquel Natalicchio among its founders.

A grassroots collective, these London-based street artists who formed the WOM Collective are passionate about inspiring, supporting, and empowering each other and their communities. 

The collective have dedicated themselves "to empowering HER-story by providing a platform for graffiti jams, exhibitions, workshops and events that give back to female artists, local communities and charities"

Previous events have seen the collective host London street art paint jams in Brick Lane, Brixton, and Trellis Tower. I last featured the WOM Collective on the site when I caught another of their East London outdoor paint jams, hosted in Allen Gardens to celebrate the collective first anniversary. The event had an all-female line-up of street artists with over 20 artists painting murals along the walls of Allen Gardens, London.


WOM Collective Leake Street Paint Jam Gallery

Take a look at our selection of photographs below from the WOM Collective paint jam, taken over the space of two days and featuring some in-progress shots of the street artists and the completed murals.

WOM Collective Leake Street Tunnels Paint Jam with artist ELNO

Street artist and WOM collective founder ELNO is pictured above at work on her circus-themed mural in the Leake Street tunnels and the completed mural below.

WOM Collective Leake Street Tunnels Paint Jam with artist ELNO

WOM Collective Leake Street Tunnels Paint Jam with artist

Street Artist Layla's Murals is pictured above at work on her Leake Street mural.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London

As with any semi-legal London graffiti spots, the artworks spraypainted on the walls often have a short lifespan, with some lasting less than 24 hours before getting painted or tagged over. This was the case with many of the murals painted at the WOM Collective paint jam.

I had revisited the Leake Street Tunnels the day after the WOM Collective paint jam hoping to take photographs of the completed murals, but on arrival over half of the mural, works had already been replaced with other artists at work painting new pieces.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London

Artist Layla's Murals artwork had been tagged over before we could capture a clear photograph of the completed mural.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London

The mural work of artist curiouser and curiouser in progress above and the completed mural is pictured below.
  London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London


London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London Artist Misfit

Vibrant portrait work from Brighton-based contemporary urban artist Misfit pictured above.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London Artist -Soul'D

Multi-layered stencil work from stencil and NFT artist Soul'D.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London Artist - Neonita

For the circus theme street artist, Neonita painted this large ringmaster creature with his troupe of performing cats who have stretched and contorted into letters of the alphabet to spell out the artists' name.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London - Artist Carleen De Sozer

Artist and WOM collective founder Carleen De Sözer takes a break from painting her mural.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London - Artist Carleen De Sozer

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London - Artist Carleen De Sozer

Street artist Carleen De Sözer at work on her mural.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London - Artist Van Jimmer

Artist Van Jimmer pictured above working on her mural in Leake Street where she chose to paint a portrait of one of the WOM Collective founders, artist Elno and her cat Gitana.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London - Artist Van Jimmer


London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London - Artist Van Jimmer

 The completed mural by artist Van Jimmer in the Leake Street Tunnels, London.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London - Artist Damitta

An art nouveau-inspired mural at the WOM Collective paint jam, painted by artist Damitta mixing acrylic emulsion and spray paint to create her artwork.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London - Artist LeSpleen

'Welcome to the WOM Circus' - Street artist LeSpleen at work on her mural above which saw her painting a futuristic style clown mural with a psychedelic twist. The completed mural is pictured below.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London - Artist LeSpleen


Artist MiraC at work on her WOM Collective mural in Leake Street, London.

Artist MiraC at work on her WOM Collective mural in Leake Street, London.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London

Street artist Jelly pictured at work on her leopard woman mural in Lease Street, London.

London Street Art - WOM Collective Graffiti Paint Jam in Leake Street Tunnels, London

Spanish street artist and WOM collective founder Lours pictured above at work on her circus-themed mural in the Leake Street tunnels, London.

The WOM Collective's Circus Paint Jam in the London Leake Street Tunnels took place on Sunday 30th January 2022.

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