25 years ago, young artists practicing a new, emerging artform were invited to leave their mark on walls of the Swiss Embassy’s garage. The only condition? The project needed to include both British and Swiss artists. Preserved in its original setting, the graffiti-covered garage remains a rare snapshot of a formative moment in graffiti culture featuring works by Banksy, Chu, TSA/Gosb, Riga and Snug.

Drawing on the creative spirit that first brought those artists together, the Embassy convened graffiti writers and musicians to celebrate the Garage’s anniversary over three packed evenings in October 2026. The Swiss Cultural Fund UK is proud to have partnered with the Embassy to add a new chapter to the Garage’s story.

A dialogue across time

Original writers Chu, Gosb and Snug returned, alongside new arrival Byer, to create a new commission in response to the space and its legacy.

Gosb and Chu were contacted first. They were asked to invite a graffiti writer to collaborate on the new artwork. Gosb was joined by Byer and together they paid tribute to a world of styles, crews, trains, anonymity, risk and the drive to be seen. Chu invited Snug back to paint in the Garage.

Chu’s 2000 & 2026 contributions to the Embassy car park served the same purpose: to celebrate the convergence of Swiss and British scientific and engineering advances. “About Time” joins “On A Swiss Roll”, which shows two vehicles guarding the exit ramp, a territory bound for turntablism and the economic removal of seasonal deposits from the highway in the Garage. “About Time” recreates the historical development of (good) timekeeping from the medieval to the birth of microcircuitry. Part one, “Legacy”, overlooks an ancient settlement from inside a belfry. Part two, “Circuit”, points the viewer inside a device with complex electronics. All are painted in 3D anaglyph stereo, with 25 years of technological advances in precision and tone, delivering a visual record of Chu’s refined carving method of recreating the depth plane.

Complementing this approach, Snug’s Swiss Army Engineer showcases the precision, nuance and finesse that aerosol painting can achieve. In 2026, like in 2000, Snug plays with space and perspectives, giving an uncanny sense of reality to his subject matter.  

Together, the artworks highlight the diversity of the medium. Linked by a painting featuring a hybrid Swiss-UK flag, they also reflect the meeting of two worlds: the formal setting of a Swiss Embassy and a graffiti culture rooted in the underground.

Garage Sessions, a celebration in art and music

The artworks were unveiled during the Garage Sessions, three nights which transformed the space into a platform for visual art, live music and cultural exchange. The programme was presented by the Embassy of Switzerland in the UK in partnership with the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation, with support from the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and the Swiss Cultural Fund UK.

Responding to the invitation of the Montreux Jazz Artists Foundation, Swiss DJ Miss B, British saxophonist YolanDa Brown OBE and her quintet, Swiss singer-rapper Evita Koné, electronic harpist Kety Fusco, and cellist Lakiko featuring pianist Laurent Nicoud delivered performances that reflected the breadth of influences, styles and forms that shape contemporary jazz today.

Photography © Harry Pseftoudis