Alexandre Farto—known to the world as Vhils—has become one of Portugal’s most recognized contemporary artists. Where most street artists add paint to walls, Vhils works in reverse, chiseling, drilling, and etching away at layers of plaster, concrete, and brick to reveal the portraits hidden beneath. He uncovers the textures and histories in the city’s skin.
Each of his pieces begins with a wall that has already lived a life—bearing posters, graffiti, weather, and time. By removing layers, Vhils exposes traces of the past: faces emerge from crumbling facades. It’s a process that transforms the old, showing beauty where others might see only erosion.
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His work remains deeply tied to Lisbon. The city’s worn surfaces, narrow streets, and shifting light are part of his visual language. Each portrait reflects not only an individual, but also the collective story of Lisbon
Vhils’ art is more than an image on a wall, it’s the past of Lisbon shown in a new light.
