Quick Facts
Biography
Vhils, CvSE (born 1987) is the tag name of Portuguese graffiti/street artist Alexandre Manuel Dias Farto.
Life
Alexandre 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.
Solo shows
- 2012
- Entropy, Magda Danysz Gallery, Paris
- Vera Cortes, Lisbon
- Visceral, MD Gallery, Shanghai
- 2009
- Scratching the surface, Lazarides, London
- 2008
- Even if you win the rat race
- "Street artisy Vhils carves wall structures". KhaleeJesque.com. Retrieved 15 August 2013.
- Steve Lazarides (27 October 2008). "Inside the world of the Outsiders art movement". The Independent (London). Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- Vhils New Mural In Fremantle, Australia, Street Art News, 3 March 2013, accessed 15 August 2013
- "Atelier d'Architecture 3BM3 completes concrete tax haven for artworks in Luxembourg". De Zeen. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.