Vhils Portuguese, b. 1987

Vhils, born Alexandre Farto in 1987 in Seixal, Portugal, is an internationally acclaimed contemporary artist known for his powerful interventions in urban space that explore identity, memory, and the impact of globalization on modern societies. Emerging from the graffiti movement of the early 2000s, Vhils developed a distinctive visual language by carving, drilling, and eroding surfaces to reveal human faces embedded within walls. Working across street art, sculpture, installation, video, and mixed media, he transforms decaying urban materials into striking portraits that reflect collective histories and overlooked narratives.

Vhils’s artistic practice is deeply rooted in the social and architectural fabric of cities. Rather than adding images onto walls, he removes layers of plaster, brick, and concrete, using destruction as a creative process to uncover hidden stories. His works often depict anonymous individuals, emphasizing the presence of ordinary people within rapidly changing urban landscapes shaped by economic development and cultural homogenization. Influenced by his upbringing in post-industrial Portugal and his exposure to global street art culture, Vhils blends raw physical techniques with conceptual reflection, addressing themes such as displacement, identity, and the erosion of cultural memory.

International recognition followed Vhils early in his career, notably after his participation in the Cans Festival in London in 2008, curated by Banksy. Since then, his work has been exhibited and commissioned worldwide, from major museums and galleries to public spaces across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Vhils has also founded creative platforms such as Underdogs, supporting contemporary urban art and emerging artists. His enduring contribution lies in redefining portraiture within public space, using the city itself as both medium and subject, and inviting viewers to reflect on the human traces embedded in the walls that surround them.