Cheba (°1983, Bristol, United Kingdom)
Cheba began painting the streets of Bristol in the early 2000's. Shortly after picking up a spray can, he quickly became addicted to painting the city's landscape and has been a long-standing figure in his hometown of Bristol's thriving street art culture.
Cheba has gone on to showcase his work across the World alongside illustrious figures from the world of street art including the 'Crimes of Passion' show at the Royal west Academy of Arts and more recently The House of Commons. His work has also featured in a plethora of publications including 'Graffiti World', 'The Art of Rebellion', 'Children of the Can' and 'Banksy's Bristol' to name a few.
Cheba's recent work is heavily inspired by Space, specifically the Hubble Telescope photos. His works depict parts of the cosmos like nebulas and star clusters but because the subject is so otherworldly and unfamiliar it blurs the line between the representational and the abstract. Cheba combines the graffiti staple of spray paint with more traditional medias such as oil, acrylic and ink and in recent years experimenting with resin. Painting on layer after layer with various mediums creating nebula like formations sometimes based on real nebulas. Using multiple layers of resin, to create thick paintings that appear almost sculptural, they need to be seen in the flesh to capture the depth of each piece which can be seen differently depending on the angle the work is viewed.
Cheba has donated many works but mostnotably he was selected for two charitable fundraising public art exhibitions, Gromits Unleashed and Wow Gorillas, alongside household names such as Sir Quentin Blake, Peter Brookes & Peter Blake. At auction Cheba's sculptures raised £28,000 and £10,000 respectively, among the highest selling at both auctions.
Selected shows/auctions:
Cheba solo show - Paintworks Bristol October 2016
Urban In Ibiza - Las Dalias, Ibiza - September 2016
Group show - Accepted Rebellion Gallery, Camden, London - June 2016
Live painting & customising wine bottles - Harvey Nichols Bristol - 11th December 2015
Live painting customising wine bottles - Harvey Nichols Birmingham - 27th September 2015
Live painting with Inkie & Jody - Harvey Nichols Bristol - 5/6th September 2015
Cheba Solo show 'Beyond the Pale Blue Dot' - It's All 2 Much Gallery, Stokes Croft, Bristol. November 2014
Boogie Down Bristol Group Show - Rabbit Eye Movement Gallery, Vienna, Austria. September - October 2014.
AAFL - Battersea, London, October 2014.
AAFNYC - Metropolitan Pavilion 125 W. 18th St, Chelsea. New York - April 2014
Smile Britannia Art Auction - House of Commons - December 2013
Gromit Unleashed Auction - The Mall Bristol. Hosted by Sotheby's auctioneer and TV antiques presenter Tim Wonnacott - October 2013.
Harvey Nichols - Cheba solo show and print release. July - October 2013
Westbank Gallery - Group Show - London 2012
See No Evil Gallery Group Show - Paint works Bristol - 2011 & 2012
WOWGorilla Auction - the Victoria Rooms, Clifton (Bristol) - 2011
Mad Hatters Ball - Charity Auction/Show - Bristol Museum Art Gallery - 2011
Inkie's Urban Art Auction - London Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green. - 2010 / 2011
VNA - No Time Like The Present, Group Show - Lacoste Store London - 2010
Cheba Solo Show - Weapon of Choice Gallery, Bristol - 2009
Urban in Ibiza - Group Show / Auction - Ibiza - 2009 / 2010 / 2011
Crimes of Passion show at Royal West Academy of Arts - 2009
Centerfold Gallery, Guernsey Joint show with Inkie, Mr Jago & Nikill - 2008
2008 - 2016 - Temwa art for Africa group show and auction. - Yearly group auction
Other notable achievements:
Director, Weapon of Choice Gallery / Edition Fifty
Artist Co-ordinator and Stage Programmer, Brisfest
See No Evil curator, Europe's largest street art festival
Graffiti mentor, Channel 4's Street Summer
Venue magazine Banana Award Top Artist 2008
Selected Publications:
Graffiti World
The Art of Rebellion
Ryan Air Inflight magazine.
Children of the Can
Banksy's Bristol; Home Sweet Home
Trap Magazine
Venue Magazine
Bristol Evening Post
DJ Mag
Bristol 24/7
Vapours (NY)
Art-Element
Bloodwars
Hip Hop Connections
Graphotism
Missfit mag
Suit Yourself
Clifton Life
Bristol Magazine