Vhils x Joana Vasconcelos
Herança
2025
Screen print on tarpaulin mounted on stretcher, with feathers and/or embroidered textile details
140 × 100 cm
Ed. /150
Location: Parede, Portugal
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About the artwork
Herança (2025) by Vhils in collaboration with Joana Vasconcelos is a striking mixed-media work that merges industrial printing with tactile, almost visceral materiality. The composition is built from a screen print on tarpaulin, mounted on a stretcher, over which dense horizontal bands of deep red feather-like or embroidered textile elements are applied. Beneath this textured surface, Vhils’ signature visual language emerges through a fragmented portrait, partially obscured and disrupted by layered interventions. The contrast between the mechanical reproduction of the image and the organic, almost invasive presence of the textile additions creates a tension between concealment and revelation, memory and erasure. The title Herança, meaning “heritage,” resonates through this interplay, suggesting a narrative of identity shaped by accumulation, disruption, and transformation.
Expert opinion
This work stands out as a compelling dialogue between two distinct artistic practices. Vhils’ exploration of excavation, destruction, and the uncovering of hidden layers finds a new dimension through the intervention of Joana Vasconcelos, whose practice often incorporates textile, craft, and cultural symbolism. The addition of embroidered or feathered elements transforms the surface into something more sculptural, almost alive, challenging the flatness of the print and introducing a sense of movement and fragility. As part of a limited edition of 150, the piece carries both the accessibility of a multiple and the uniqueness of hand-applied details. It reflects a broader shift in contemporary art toward hybridity, where boundaries between media dissolve, and where collaboration becomes a way to expand authorship and meaning. This work would appeal to collectors interested in cross-disciplinary practices and in artists who reinterpret portraiture through material experimentation and cultural layering.
About the artist
Joana Vasconcelos and Vhils are two of the most prominent figures in contemporary Portuguese art, each developing a distinct yet complementary visual language. Joana Vasconcelos, born in 1971 in Paris and raised in Portugal, is internationally recognized for her monumental sculptures and installations. Her work explores themes of identity, femininity, and Portuguese cultural heritage, often incorporating traditional materials and craft techniques, such as ceramics, textiles, and embroidery, into contemporary forms. Her practice bridges popular culture and high art, transforming everyday objects into powerful, large-scale artworks. Vhils (Alexandre Farto), born in 1987, emerged from the urban art scene and is known for his unique technique of carving into surfaces such as walls, wood, and metal to reveal layered portraits. His work addresses themes of memory, urban transformation, and the impact of globalization on identity. Through a process of removal rather than addition, Vhils creates powerful images that reflect the hidden histories embedded within cities. Their collaboration brings together two distinct approaches to material and meaning. While Vasconcelos builds through accumulation and ornament, Vhils works through subtraction and excavation. The dialogue between these methods results in works that merge tradition and contemporary urban language, highlighting a shared interest in identity, heritage, and the transformation of materials. This collaboration reflects a broader conversation within contemporary Portuguese art, where craftsmanship, history, and urban expression intersect, offering collectors a rare opportunity to engage with two major artistic voices within a single work.
Additional info
Signed
Proof of authenticity
3x
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