Vhils

Vhils is the tag of Portuguese graffiti and street artist Alexandre Manuel Dias Farto (born 1987).

Life

Farto was born in Portugal in 1987. 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. 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. 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.

Luxembourg Freeport, an art storage facility opened in 2014, includes a large mural by Vhils, etched into one of the atrium concrete walls.

In 2023, the Hotel Artsys Cascais was inaugurated, with a facade designed by Vhils. 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.

Vhils has travelled to many places around the world, trying to reveal the stories that lie within the walls.

Main Work

Gallery

Solo shows 2021, Latency - Danysz Gallery, Shanghai 2021, Trace - Fluctuart, Paris 2021, Portal - MAGMA Gallery, Bologna 2021, Fenestra - Galeria Vera Cortês, Lisbon 2020, Haze - Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati 2020, Momentum - Danysz gallery, Paris 2019, Realm - Galerie Danysz, Shanghai 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 2015, Dissonance, Lazarides, London 2014, Vestiges, Magda Danysz Gallery, Paris 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

Honours