Klo Wi

I am a muralist and illustrator based in Dublin. My character designs are bold, graphic compositions constructed from overlapping shapes that build into dynamic forms. Drawing from my background in printed textiles, this layered approach allows my work to shift fluidly across different media while maintaining a strong and recognisable visual identity.

Alongside my digital and illustrative practice, I have recently begun exploring mosaic as a sculptural medium. This direction has expanded my material language and opened up new possibilities for combining craft, narrative, and public engagement within my work.

When developing this design, I began by looking at the archived advertisements of John Gilroy for Guinness. In several of his posters, a fish appears as a recurring visual motif. I was also reminded of seeing a fish on a bicycle displayed in the Guinness Storehouse, which prompted me to research the connection further.

Historically, Guinness used “isinglass”, a gelatine derived from fish as part of its filtration process to remove yeast from the stout. This discovery deepened my interest in the fish.

I also looked at the 1996 “Fish on a Bicycle” campaign, which featured the slogan, “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.” The campaign aimed to increase Guinness’ popularity amongst women and marked an interesting cultural moment in the brand’s advertising evolution. The surreal humour of this concept strongly resonated with me and aligned with the playful tone of Gilroy’s original illustrations.

Responding to the brief, “It all flows from here,” I imagined Guinness flowing through underground tunnels beneath the city. I envisioned my characters floating along the surface of this black and white current, carried by the movement and energy of the stout itself. Emerging from the tunnels, I included Gilroy’s iconic toucan as a nod to the brand’s heritage, allowing it to rise upward as a symbol of continuity between past and present.

To complete the composition, I chose a simple, typeface reminiscent of early Guinness poster advertisements, grounding the design in the visual language of its history while reinterpreting it through my own contemporary style.