Vhils: 5 letters for one of the most gifted urban artists of his generation. Real name Alexandre Farto, Vhils began street art when he was just 10 years old. Of Portuguese origin, he created tags and graffiti on the streets of Lisbon. But the urban artist soon decided to experiment with new techniques of artistic creation. He began carving portraits into walls and facades. To create these sublime and humanistic mural engravings, Vhils is not short of imagination, using tools as varied as chisels, hammers and jackhammers. He can also use explosives when necessary, or nitric acid on metal plates.
Today, his highly original technique has become Vhils' signature. The artist now travels the world to leave his easily recognizable mark, creating portraits of both the famous and the anonymous, often enhanced by the play of relief, light and shadow.
In France, Vhils has exhibited on several occasions. In Paris, the Portuguese artist notably presented his incredible works at Le Centquatre and Galerie Danysz in 2018, and on the Fluctuart barge in 2021.
It's also possible to come face to face with his murals on a street corner in Paris or elsewhere in the Ile-de-France region. If you'd like to admire Vhils ' work in the Paris region, here are a few places where you can catch a glimpse.
One of the best-known is undoubtedly his mural engraving in the Hauts-de-Seine region of France. Located in the Jardins de l'Arche, a stone's throw from the IÉSEG business school and the Paris La Défense Arena, this work was created for Paris La Défense as part of the artist's famous " Scratching the surface " project. Created in 2019, this imposing mural reveals two anonymous faces complemented by geometric motifs.
Another place, another Vhils mural in Paris. Heading for the 13th arrondissement. A favorite district for many street artists, Vhils also left his mark there in 2012. At N°173 rue des Château des Rentiers, between the parish church and the elementary school, the Portuguese artist once again dug into the wall to create a portrait. And if you're a street art enthusiast, take advantage of your stay in the area to admire frescoes by Shepard Fairey, Inti, Hush or Seth and Add Fuel.
Now we're heading for the chic 16th arrondissement. It's at theSainte-Périne hospital (11 Rue Chardon Lagache) that Vhils has created a voluntary work of art. The artist engraved a portrait in the concrete of two posts in the inner courtyard of the Sainte Périne building. Please note, however, that Sainte-Périne is a hospital of the Assistance publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP). Access is therefore restricted to patients, residents and hospital staff.
In July 2023, Vhils was also invited byUnesco to create an in situ mural of just over 30 meters in the Organization's Paris headquarters in the 7th arrondissement. This impressive work pays tribute to the British politician, feminist and reformer Ellen Wilkinson. Entitled " Substratum - Scratching the Surface project " , the fresco reveals the features of the woman who was one of the eight women present at the United Nations Conference in San Francisco in 1945, surrounded by 11 World Heritage sites. These include the archaeological site of Mada'in Saleh (Saudi Arabia), the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Giza (Egypt), the Parthenon (Greece) and the Kukulcan Pyramid at Chichen Itza (Mexico).
Please note, however, that Vhils ' work at Unesco is not visible from the outside. But you can take advantage of guided tours (at a cost of 15 euros) to discover the organization's headquarters, and this Vhils fresco at the same time. Alternatively, you can visit Unesco free of charge during two major annual events: Museum Night in May, and the European Heritage Days in September.
Finally, to complete this tour of Vhils ' works in the Paris region, take the metro to Orly airport station on line 14. It's here, in this station inaugurated in June 2024, that lovers of Vhils ' work can find one of his latest Ile-de-France creations.
Entitled"Strates urbaines", the work is made up of 11,000 blue and white azulejo tiles. The 34-metre-long work reveals the faces of anonymous people, as well as emblematic Île-de-France monuments such as the Eiffel Tower. Vhils will present the second part of his work in 2027, for the inauguration of line 18 between Massy Palaiseau and Orly.
Here are just a few of the places in the Paris region where you can admire some of Vhils' work. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. So, if you spot other frescoes by the Portuguese street artist in Paris or elsewhere in the Île-de-France region, don't hesitate to share them!
