About the artwork
This work consists of a set of four individual wooden panels, designed to function as magnets. The largest panel features a high-contrast black-and-white portrait, executed in a style characteristic of the artist’s subtractive technique, depicting part of a face, with a specific focus on the eyes and the surrounding facial contours. The imagery appears altered and fragmented, with areas of black paint suggesting carved or removed material against a white background. Adjacent to this central panel are three smaller rectangular panels. Two of them feature graphic elements in brown and off-white, including stylized text reading “OMO” and other fragmented lettering or patterns, reminiscent of commercial packaging or branding. The third, smaller panel features a repetitive geometric pattern of interlocking brown and off-white triangles, creating a checkerboard effect. The arrangement of these panels is modular, allowing for a configurable display.
Expert opinion
This work illustrates the artist’s exploration of portraiture and urban iconography, transposed into a collectible format. His practice, rooted in urban art, has successfully transitioned to the gallery and the art market while maintaining a distinct aesthetic. The use of wood panels and specific techniques align with his broader body of work, while the magnet format offers a more accessible entry point for collectors. This artist’s works have established a solid market position within the contemporary art world, with particular appeal to collectors interested in urban art and artists who address social and urban themes.
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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