Alexandre Farto aka Vhils, is a young Portuguese artist who has become famous for his stunning murals that are created through scratching away what’s already there, rather than adding additional material. Alexandre creates the majority of his work by peeling away the top layer of whatever material he’s working on, until it forms into something beautiful.

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Alexandre became well known somewhat recently, when his work was linked with Banksy. His natural talent and unique medium skyrocketed him to great renown, and this young artist is already working on large commissions and being featured in galleries.

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Alexandre’s work is made through a combination of careful paint application and from peeling off the outer layers of walls, and he seems to favor old buildings. Alexandre’s work always seems to feature faces, old and young, with intense and wonderfully rendered expressions.

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The realism of Vhils’ work is stunning, and brightens the nooks and alleys where they reside. It’s a great reflection of Vhils’ skill that his hidden work has emerged into the limelight to the degree that it has.

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Alexandre does a wonderful job incorporating the feel of a building into the work. Rather than impose his vision on the building, he lets the building sculpt his vision, so the end result is seamless. It is a pleasure seeing him in action.

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No one would question Alexandre’s newfound success, as his work is undeniably creative and skillful. It will be incredibly interesting to follow this rising star’s success as his work continues to evolve.