7 Facts about the Portuguese urban artist Vhils
1.Pioneer of a new form of expression
Shepard Fairey signed on Vhils: “the most exciting characteristic of 'street art' is that, if a certain aesthetic is too sucked into the dominant paradigm, it is possible to find alternatives. Vhils he pioneered a new form of expression of which he is, until now, the best representative”. Vhils continues to evolve and push his style forward by sculpting the faces of anonymous figures on a large scale, in order to reveal the hidden lower layers and fragility of urban space. He emerged on the art scene in 2008, creating a revolution, through his innovative artistic practice, in which destruction is a form of construction.
Vhils He became an international phenomenon, mainly due to his mural works in public spaces, honoring José Saramago, Zeca Afonso, among others. It often carves faces in public spaces - on the side of buildings - with a variety of tools and materials that can leave a mark or remove materials, including hammers, drills, etching acid, bleach and explosives. In addition to mural sculpture, he has also been exploring other media such as screen printing, installation and other media, such as advertising posters, wooden doors and metal plaques that he collects from the streets.
2. Collaborated with Banksy
Collaborated with the English artist Banksy, during the years he lived in London. Vhils He studied art at St Martin's School, and his work reflects the new cosmopolitanism. The space where he grew up, Seixal, an industrialized suburb on the other side of the river from Lisbon (Portugal), profoundly influenced his practice due to the transformations caused by intense urban development in the 1980s and 1990s. Bordalo II, Banksy It is Jean-Michel Basquiat, it was on the streets that the basis for his initial artistic production was formed, ending up projecting his perceptions of the outside world through his creative acts.
3.Put Lisbon on the Urban Art map
In recent years, Lisbon has become one of the most recognized cities for urban art worldwide. The Portuguese capital stands out for the diversity of artistic interventions that appear every day on the streets, in the most different spaces.
4. Founded the Underdogs Gallery
Underdogs is a cultural platform based in Lisbon, Portugal, which encompasses a gallery with two exhibition areas, a public art program, the production of artists' editions and the development of commissioned art projects. Founded in 2010 and consolidated in its current form in 2013, Underdogs works with a diverse cast of Portuguese and international artists linked to the universe of urban-inspired contemporary art, fostering the development of close relationships between creators, the public and the city.
5. Curator and programmer of Festival Iminente
The Iminente Festival is where the best expressions of urban culture on a global scale come together in an explosion of creativity and entertainment. Since 2016, Festival Iminente has visited five cities in four countries, with a total of nine editions featuring more than 300 Portuguese and international artists. Underlined by the curatorial partnership between Iminente, Alexandre Farto aka Vhils and Underdogs, this is a space for the free spirit of urban culture in all its forms.
6. Vhils produced videos for bands like U2
He is one of the Portuguese artists with the greatest international rise. He sculpts and blows up walls, makes videos for bands like U2, wants to try cinema.
7. Vhils entered the world of NFTs
Auction curated by Underdogs aims to transform "ephemeral" art into something "eternal". It is the first experience in Portugal with these cryptoactives that are already breaking records abroad. NFTs have created an innovative digital art movement led by artists and a community of collectors. In Portugal, we highlight the growth of this practice with the artist Alexandre Farto, known for Vhils, for having made great strides in the world of NFTs. This consists of a video that captures the exact moment in which the explosives that the Portuguese artist uses in his work – which transforms destruction into creation. The video was filmed using slow motionadvanced, including 2000 frames per second, which offers a unique experience and perspective on Alexandre Farto's unique creative process. “Rupture” is part of META_VS: A CRYPTO ART EXPERIENCE IN 3 METAVERSES, an action by BEYOND THE STREETS that aimed to promote the artistic community on the blockchain through exhibitions, piece launches, exclusive artist collaborations and conversations on ClubHouse and YouTube. During these days, the NTWRK virtual art fair presents exclusive works by names such as Felipe Pantone, Mister Cartoon, DABSMYLA, POSE and Tim Conlon. The Portuguese visual artist has captivated the artistic world over the last 15 years with his unique techniques that consist of subtracting buildings themselves. Vhils has been using everything from scalpels and chisels to drills to explosives to destroy crumbling walls, revealing realistic faces of local and often marginalized residents. Now the artist has passed this message on to NTFS, being the first experience in Portugal with these cryptoactives. Companies like Verisart have made it easier for artists to join, such as Vhils, in the NFT space. They helped creators use blockchain technology, certify and sell their work. NFTs have become a way for artists to express themselves without censorship, on a free, open-access network where they can share their creativity and prove ownership over it.
