About the artwork
Changes is a lithograph produced in 2016 by Portuguese artist Alexandre Farto. The work measures 90 × 60 cm and belongs to a limited edition of artist's proofs, here numbered 5/10 AP. Produced in four-color lithography, the composition features a monumental face that seems to emerge from a fragmented surface composed of torn posters, geometric patterns and layers of superimposed images. The features of the portrait appear as if revealed by the erosion of the material, revealing the eyes, nose and mouth in the midst of a complex visual ensemble of textures, typographical signs and colored fragments. This stratified construction evokes urban walls covered with posters and successive interventions, creating an image that is both fragile and powerful.
Expert opinion
This work perfectly illustrates the artistic approach developed by Vhils around the notion of urban memory and the transformation of surfaces. Since the beginning of his career, the artist has explored the way in which images and identities are constructed through the accumulation and disappearance of visual layers. In Changes, the portrait seems to literally emerge from an environment composed of graphic fragments and torn posters, recalling the visual landscapes of contemporary cities. The lithographic technique is used to render the rich textures and complex superimpositions characteristic of his work. Artist's proofs, printed in very small numbers, are particularly sought-after on the art market, as they are often kept by the artist and produced in very limited quantities. This piece is thus a representative example of Vhils' aesthetic and his exploration of the traces left by time and human activity in urban space.
About the artist
Alexandre Farto, alias Vhils, Portuguese artist born in 1987. Lives and works in Lisbon (Portugal). He became active in Lisbon's graffiti scene in the early 2000s. In 2008, Banksy invited him to take part in London's Cans Festival, where his work was immediately recognized and celebrated as one of the most innovative on the urban scene in recent years. Today, he exhibits at major institutions around the world, including the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the CAFA Art Museum in Beijing, and the Cincinnati Contemporary Art Center, which is devoting its first monographic exhibition to him in the United States in 2020. Until September 2022, the MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) in Lisbon is dedicating a monumental, immersive exhibition to him, entirely focused on video. In it, the artist develops a new language, presenting an image of the city in slow motion.
Additional info
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