Vhils

Alexandre Farto was born in Portugal in 1987.{{cite web|title=Street artisy Vhils carves wall structures|url=http://www.khaleejesque.com/2013/07/art-design/street-artist-vhils-carves-wall-sculptures/|publisher=KhaleeJesque.com|access-date=15 August 2013}} He studied at the Byam Shaw School of Art in London. Vhils lives and works in London and Lisbon. He gained prominence when his work of a face carved into a wall appeared alongside a picture by street artist Banksy at the Cans Festival in London in 2008.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ten-years-ago-banksy-boarded-12476390|title=Banksy told fellow artists to meet him in a tunnel and the result was stunning|last=Greenwood|first=Michael|date=12 February 2019|website=mirror|access-date=13 February 2019}} A photograph of him creating the work appeared on the front page of The Times.

He was later given space to show his work by Banksy's agent, Steve Lazarides. Several of his works were published in 2008.{{cite news|author=Steve Lazarides|title=Inside the world of the Outsiders art movement|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/inside-the-world-of-the-outsiders-art-movement-974171.html?action=Popup&ino=9|work=The Independent (London)|date=27 October 2008 |access-date=2 November 2013}} He is also shown by Vera Cortes and the Magda Danysz Gallery.

During Fremantle's 2013 Fremantle Street Arts Festival, the Norfolk Hotel was decorated with an original image of the first Australian female senator. The image of Dame Dorothy Tangney DBE was created by Vhils and his assistants.[http://www.streetartnews.net/2013/03/vhils-new-mural-in-fremantle-australia.html Vhils New Mural In Fremantle, Australia], Street Art News, 3 March 2013, accessed 15 August 2013

Luxembourg Freeport, an art storage facility opened in 2014, includes a large mural by Vhils, etched into one of the atrium concrete walls.{{cite news|title=Atelier d'Architecture 3BM3 completes concrete tax haven for artworks in Luxembourg|url=http://www.dezeen.com/2015/01/14/atelier-d-architecture-3bm3-luxembourg-freeport-concrete-storage-facility-tax-haven-artworks/|access-date=31 March 2015|work=De Zeen|date=14 January 2015}}

In 2023, the Hotel Artsys Cascais was inaugurated, with a facade designed by Vhils.{{cite web|title=Hotel Artsys Cascais was inaugurated|url=https://expresso.pt/boa-cama-boa-mesa/2023-05-31-Com-fachada-assinada-por-Vhils-novo-hotel-em-Cascais-e-um-elogio-ao-mundo-das-artes-19df9180 |accessdate=31 May 2023|language=Portuguese}} That same year, he painted a mural for UNESCO headquarters. It was the first work of street art to be added to the walls of UNESCO.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-19 |title=Paris : une première œuvre de Street Art rejoint les murs de l'Unesco |url=https://www.connaissancedesarts.com/arts-expositions/street-art/paris-une-premiere-oeuvre-de-street-art-rejoint-les-murs-de-lunesco-11184227/ |access-date=2023-09-27 |website=Connaissance des Arts |language=fr-FR}}

Vhils has travelled to many places around the world, trying to reveal the stories that lie within the walls.{{Cite web |date=2019-11-14 |title=Vhils and his best murals around the world - All City Canvas |url=https://www.allcitycanvas.com/en/vhils-and-his-best-murals-around-the-world/ |access-date=2023-07-28 |language=en-US}}

File:Woolfest 2011 - Vilhs - III (6884495416).jpg|Vhils artwork in Covilhã

File:Norfolk Hotel Artwork in Fremantle.jpg|Dame Dorothy Tangney DBE in Fremantle

File:Retrato en pared - III (6341050303).jpg|Self-portrait mural

File:Vhils-all-city-canvas-global-series-hermosillo-por-jose-pando-lucas.jpg|Vhils New Mural in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico for All City Canvas Global Series

File:Diorama - 24 (8126293255).jpg|Vhils Diorama

File:VHILSified wall (16917208001).jpg|Vhils Sified Wall

File:Norfolk Hotel Artwork.jpg|Vhils - Street art festival 2013

• 2021, Latency - Danysz Gallery, Shanghai
• 2021, Trace - Fluctuart, Paris {{cite web |last1=Lusa |title=Exhibitions by Portuguese- speaking artists liven up the Parisian summer |url=https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2021-08-24/exhibitions-by-portuguese-speaking-artists-liven-up-the-parisian-summer/61923 |website=The Portugal News |access-date=17 February 2022}}
• 2021, Portal - MAGMA Gallery, Bologna
• 2021, Fenestra - Galeria Vera Cortês, Lisbon {{cite web |last1=Horta |first1=Bruno |title=De Xangai a Lisboa. Vhils filmou "o impacto da globalização" e revela "tudo o que mudou" com a pandemia |url=https://observador.pt/2021/05/21/de-xangai-a-lisboa-vhils-filmou-o-impacto-da-globalizacao-e-revela-tudo-o-que-mudou-com-a-pandemia/ |website=O observador |access-date=17 February 2022}}
• 2020, Haze - Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati {{cite web |title=VHILS INAUGURA PRIMEIRA GRANDE EXPOSIÇÃO INDIVIDUAL NOS ESTADOS UNIDOS |url=https://tvi24.iol.pt/sociedade/haze/vhils-inaugura-primeira-grande-exposicao-individual-nos-estados-unidos |website=TVI |access-date=17 February 2022}}
• 2020, Momentum - Danysz gallery, Paris {{cite web |title=Momentum / Vhils Solo show |url=https://quefaire.paris.fr/113463/momentum-vhils-solo-show |website=que faire paris |access-date=17 February 2022}}
• 2019, Realm - Galerie Danysz, Shanghai {{cite web |last1=Lusa |title=Português Vhils inaugura exposição a solo em Xangai |url=https://www.wort.lu/pt/latina/portugues-vhils-inaugura-exposic-o-a-solo-em-xangai-5c8796bada2cc1784e33f9b9 |website=Radio Latina |date=12 March 2019 |access-date=17 February 2022}}
• 2019, Panorama - Arsham/Fieg Gallery, New York
• 2019, Incisão - CAIXA Cultural Brasília, Brasilia
• 2018, Fragments Urbains - Le Centquatre, Paris
• 2017, Vhils X CAFA Museum - Pékin, Beijing{{Cite web|url=http://magdagallery.com/fr/actualites/article/26/vhils-x-cafa-museum-pekin|title=Magda Danysz, Paris, André Saraiva, Liu Bolin, Gael Davrinche, Faile, Shepard Fairey, Futura, JR, Li Hongbo, Ludo, Maleonn, James McNabb, Prune Nourry, Erwin Olaf, Felipe Pantone, Marion Peck, Charles Petillon, Abdul Rahman Katanani, Swoon, Vhils, Wang Keping, Yang Yongliang, YZ, Zevs, Zhang Dali|website=magdagallery.com|language=fr|access-date=25 November 2017}}
• 2015, Dissonance, Lazarides, London{{cite web | title = Lazarides – Dissonance | url = https://www.lazinc.com/exhibitions/610/ | access-date = 19 July 2017 }}
• 2014, Vestiges, Magda Danysz Gallery, Paris{{Cite web|url=http://magdagallery.com/fr/expositions/presentation/23/vhils-vestiges|title=Vhils - Vestiges, Vhils|website=Magda Danysz|language=fr|access-date=25 November 2017}}
• 2012, Entropy, Magda Danysz Gallery, Paris
• 2012, Vera Cortes, Lisbon
• 2012, Visceral, Magda Danysz Gallery, Shanghai
• 2009, Scratching the surface, Lazarides, London
• 2008, Even if you win the rat race

• File:PRT Order of Saint James of the Sword - Knight BAR.svg Knight of the Order of Saint James of the Sword (9 June 2015){{Cite web|url=http://www.ordens.presidencia.pt/?idc=153|title=ENTIDADES NACIONAIS AGRACIADAS COM ORDENS PORTUGUESAS - Página Oficial das Ordens Honoríficas Portuguesas|website=www.ordens.presidencia.pt|others=Search result for "Alexandre Farto"|access-date=23 January 2020}}

• https://www.lazinc.com/usr/documents/exhibitions/press_release_url/610/alexandre-farto-aka-vhils-dissonance-press.pdf
• https://web.archive.org/web/20090315052045/http://lazinc.com/artists/vhils/
• http://www.art2bank.com/london_art_news/featured-galleries/vhils-in-under-a-red-sky-at-st.php
• https://web.archive.org/web/20120523065604/http://streetartparis.org/blog/2012/05/20/vhils-aka-alexandre-farko-hits-le-m-u-r-association-modulable-urbain-reactif-in-oberkampf-paris/

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Vhils}}

• {{official website|http://www.alexandrefarto.com}}
• [https://www.lazinc.com/artists/vhils-aka-alexandre-farto/ Vhils aka Alexandre Farto] on Lazinc
• [http://www.art-days.com/vhils-walls/ Vhils selected images] on Art Days
• [http://www.stencilrevolution.com/interviews/vhils-alexandre-farto/ Vhils Interview] on Stencil Revolution
• [http://magdagallery.com/fr/artistes/expositions/13/vhils Vhils on Magda Danysz Gallery]

{{Authority control}}

Category:1987 births

Category:Living people

Category:Portuguese graffiti artists