Big letters, big energy and big impact with Oskar With a K

We meet the Manchester muralist, who is on a mission to bring people together, start conversations, and make a difference in the community through graffiti.

“What’s great about murals is they’re large-scale and often outdoors,” says Oskar Walin – AKA Oskar With a K. “People stumble upon them, which creates a unique opportunity to communicate with the public that most artists don’t get. I’m also drawn to collaborative making – creating collective work with a cohesive outcome.”

You’ll find Oskar’s work for both commercial clients and community bodies in the North of England and at a growing number of locations further afield. Originally from Brighton, he’s now based in Manchester and has built up a portfolio of work that oozes with positive vibes and a passion for huge, hand-painted lettering over the last four years.

When Manchester City Council recently wanted to brighten up a dingy space called Withington Walls, Oskar With a K was called upon for his skills. Five days of manically painting two gable-end walls on a scissor lift followed, and the outcome really changed the area.

“I loved this job because it let me create something bold and graphic in a really unusual spot. It took several iterations to get right, but the final piece is immersive – especially when you walk through it in person,” says Oskar.

Logistics is key to painting a beautiful mural on time and on budget. To prepare, Oskar photographs the wall, then mocks up his vision for it in his sketchbook and/or Photoshop. An array of materials is required – spray paint, masonry paint, brushes, rollers and telescopic ladders. Nowadays, with jobs getting bigger and bigger, he often uses a scissor lift. Plus, he’s hired a lockup as his work has outgrown his living space. For more on how he scales up an artwork, Oskar has posted a doodle grid explainer on his Instagram account.

Growing up obsessed with graffiti, Oskar spent his youth writing on things but later progressed to a degree in graphic design. Field for the British Isles, Anthony Gormley’s artwork made up of 40,000 terracotta figures, is a piece that has always inspired him.

Another of Oskar’s favourite projects was for the Electoral Commission, painting two identical shop shutters in the market hall in Stockport – one in English and one in Welsh. The artwork was photographed and used on posters, which appeared around the country, encouraging people to register to vote.

“I mention this project because I think my mum was particularly proud to see my work on official bus shelter ads, as opposed to on the streets when I was a teenager. Encouraging people to vote is a noble cause, and it felt good to stand behind it,” says Oskar.

Oskar’s projects often have a social or community dimension, and one of the services he offers is mural workshops for youth groups, schools, and other community bodies. Attendees contribute to large-scale artworks in their locality, learning painting skills and teamwork and hopefully growing in confidence at the same time.

A great example of this is Oskar’s project with Stockport County Football Club, Grit Studios and The Writing Squad. “We ran a series of workshops with ten local teens, myself and poet Ruth Awolola, and they helped paint the bottom two words of the mural. I then painted the rest through all kinds of weather on a rickety old scissor lift. The mural reads A Scarf My Father Wore, which is a Stockport County football chant. After it was finished, the team went up a division, so the mural has become tied to a really positive memory in the community,” says Oskar.

With four years under his belt as a freelance muralist, Oskar is comfortable in his style and, like the young people he works with, is growing in confidence.

“I’m tentatively exploring more left-field ideas, which is really freeing, though I don’t quite feel ready to share them! In terms of paid work, I’m always looking for multi-faceted projects that involve community participation, scale and collaboration with other creatives. I’d also love to do more lecturing and talks,” he concludes.