London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Vhils – de son vrai nom Alexandre Farto – expose en ce moment chez Lazarides.

Cet artiste portugais est un artiste de genie. Voila deja 3 ans que ses efforts paient et il n’a que… 23 ans.

Mais quelle recherche et quelle differences dans ses oeuvres! C’est un autre territoire que Banksy ou CitizenKane. C’est un travail de dimensions et d’epaisseurs – parfois de brique et de platre, ou de bois, d’autres de posters et de dentelles de papiers .Combien d’heures a decouper ces dernieres? Meme ses peintures jouent sur la superposition de plusieurs mondes.

Scratching the surface est le juste titre pour ces oeuvres, exactement sa technique. Partir d’une surface lisse et creer par les dechirures, les coups de marteau un visage, un monde mais surtout une emotion.

J’ai croise un article dressant un parallele avec cette expression de mai 68 Sous les paves la plage. C’est exact: sous la brique, sous le papier, Vhils cree un cote passe-muraille, comme si les murs, les supports, les materiaux qu’il abordent prenaient vie, transcendaient le solide.

Surprenant et d’une certaine poesie…

Si vous etes seduits, faites un tour au parking de la Old truman Brewery pres de Brick Lane decouvrir deux autres oeuvres sur les murs de la cour… Jetez egalement un coup d’oeil sur son site pour decouvrir l’entendu de ses talents. Et pourquoi ne pas dejeuner dans un traditionnel bus rouge?

Lazarides

11 Rathbone Place

London W1T 1HR

Gratuit! Free!

Website de Lazarides

Website de l’artiste

Jusqu’a / Until: 1er aout 2009 / 01 August 2009

Vhils – also known as Alexandre Farto – is at Lazarides at the moment.

This artist from Lisbon really is a genius. His street art passion has really paid off the last 3 years and he’s only… 23!

But how complex and detailed his art is – just amazing. This is a completely different territory form Bansky or CitizenKane. A real work in dimensions, layers – sometimes brick and plaster, or wood, sometimes ripped off posters superposed with paper lace. I wonder how many hours he spends on one. Even his paintings evoke the mix of different worlds.

Scratching the surface is the perfect name for this show, for this technique. Starting with a smooth surface, digging into it, chiseling it, he plays on the variances of depth and colours and from a nothingness suddenly appears a face, a universe, and even more impressing: an emotion.

I’ve read about a parallel with this French saying in May 68 Sous les paves, la plage (beneath the paving stones, the beach). So true. As if any material Vhils touches could be brought to life, transcend materiality, almost talk to you and reach out.

Surprising and almost poetic…

If you’e seduced by this exhibition, rush to the Old Truman Brewery car park behind Brick Lane to see another two of his works straiht in the streets! And do have a look at his website to see how very talended this young man is. And have lunch in a double decker bus!

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