ABOUT

Alexandre Farto, better known as Vhils, is a Portuguese contemporary artist whose practice explores the relationship between people, cities and the layers of history embedded in urban environments. Growing up on the outskirts of Lisbon, he began experimenting with graffiti as a teenager before developing the distinctive approach that would define his work.

Rather than adding new layers to the city, Vhils became known for doing the opposite: removing material to reveal what lies beneath. Through his ongoing Scratching the Surface project, he carves large-scale portraits directly into walls, exposing layers of plaster, paint and concrete accumulated over time. His breakthrough came in 2008 at the Cans Festival in London, where one of his carved portraits appeared alongside a work by Banksy and brought his practice to international attention.

Vhils creates his portraits using chisels, drills, jackhammers and other tools that physically transform architectural surfaces. What initially appears destructive becomes a process of excavation, allowing images to emerge from the material itself. The resulting portraits often depict anonymous individuals, placing human identity at the center of rapidly changing urban landscapes.

His practice extends far beyond carved walls. Vhils has experimented with explosives, acid, screen-printing, layered advertising posters, wood, metal and other materials, adapting his process of erosion and removal to different surfaces and contexts.

Across these techniques, Vhils investigates memory, identity and the transformation of contemporary cities. By revealing what is normally hidden beneath their surfaces, his work reflects the reciprocal relationship between individuals and the urban environments they inhabit.