IN FOCUS
The artist vision
“FACES AND GLANCES BETWEEN LAYERS OF NOISE” Vhils got to work to put a face on the new head office. The result is a facade where “the contraposition of information chaos symbolizes the contemporary world and the reality worked by GS1 Portugal”
H
e was one of the three portuguese young talents highlighted by Forbes magazine due to the success of his career. His art is spread around 50 countries. And he his Portuguese. We are talking about Alexandre Farto, or Vhils, his signature. A young man that gained worldwide recognition through deconstructive art, that behind “glances” holds a reflection on contemporary urban societies. GS1 Portugal and the team responsible for the project of the new head office launched the challenge. And Alexandre didn’t hesitate. The result? A facade where “the contraposition to the chaos of information symbolizes the contemporary world and the reality
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Código 560 | GS1® Portugal 1st semester 2017
worked by GS1 Portugal”. To create through destructive processes is the focus of Vhils work. What made you accept the challenge to create by the means of a construction? That has been my work’s main core, but I have also developed, in contrast, some body of work based on constructive techniques, in materials like polystyrene and cork, as well as some experiences with bitumen modelling. This invitation allowed me to improve this technique, that I had been trying to develop for some years, but I still hadn’t had an important opportunity like this one to execute it. Throughout your career, you had some important moments that
pointed to the path you followed: the first sculpted wall, the first solo exhibition. Is this first “built work” going to be part of those moments? As I’ve mentioned, this is a path that I’ve been thinking about following for a long time, without distorting or interrupting the work that brought me here. This piece represents several milestones, both personal and artistic and, in that way, it belongs to the moments you’re referring to. I’ve always been interested in the crossing of languages and concepts, as well as breaking barriers, and this is, undoubtedly, a path to follow. The new GS1 Portugal headquarters was called innovative, disruptive and iconic by the President. What does this work mean to you and