Search by

LOADING...

Billboards

Starting in 2005, Vhils began working with accumulated layers of advertising posters he found on the streets. This was the first medium he used to explore a carving technique and led to the conceptual approach of dissecting and decomposing objects and surfaces to reveal the formative layers that describe the intimate relationship between the city and its inhabitants.


Created by layering these posters on top of one another, obliterating the top layer with white paint, and lastly extracting an image by carving into the pile, his billboard artworks bring an assortment of random elements to the surface creating a physical manifestation of the constantly evolving visual identity of urban life.


The body of work based on layered advertising posters removed from the streets explores one of the most important concepts inherent to Vhils’ art: how these randomly created layers reflect not only the speed at which contemporary life is evolving, but also how the city and its inhabitants are locked in an endless cycle of reciprocal shaping. Vhils views them as having a fossil-like quality which can be symbolically dissected and analysed. While expressing the visual and architectural chaos of the urban landscape, these accumulated layers can also be seen as the epitome of the present-day consumer culture of imposition, obsolescence, and waste.

Artwork_Artwork_
Splice Series #08, 2024 / 184 × 137 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Patina Series #07, 2024 / 186 × 126 cmHand-carved and laser-cut advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Patina Series #08, 2024 / 181 × 132 cmHand-carved and laser-cut advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Cityscape Series #07 - Venice, 2024 / 120 × 260 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by João Mau
Artwork_Artwork_
Splice Series #05, 2023 / 187 × 131 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Splice Series #07, 2023 / 195 × 130 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Untitled, 2023 | Beyond the Streets, London, UKSite-specific mural with hand-carved advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Frayed Series #01, 2023 / 160 x 125 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by João Mau
Artwork_Artwork_
Pictorial Series #19, 2023 / 173 × 121 cmHand-carved and laser-cut advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Scrape Series #05, 2022 / 186 x 120 cmHand-carved advertising posters
Artwork_Artwork_
Scrape Series #15, 2022 / 175 × 120 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Untitled, 2023 | Embassy of Portugal in Japan, Tokyo, JapanSite-specific mural with hand-carved advertising postersphoto by Alexander Silva
Artwork_Artwork_
Untitled, 2023 | Embassy of Portugal in Japan, Tokyo, JapanSite-specific mural with hand-carved advertising postersphoto by Alexander Silva
Artwork_Artwork_
Unearth Series #16, 2022 / 183 x 122 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Alexander Silva
Artwork_Artwork_
Unearth Series #16, 2022 / 183 x 122 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Alexander Silva
Artwork_Artwork_
Scape Series #01 - Seville, 2022 / 180 × 362 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Alexander Silva
Artwork_Artwork_
Unearth Series #26, 2022 / 180 × 122 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Alexander Silva
Artwork_Artwork_
Unearth Series #26, 2022 / 180 × 122 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Alexander Silva
Artwork_Artwork_
Pictorial Series #09, 2021 / 177 × 122 cmHand-carved and laser-cut advertising postersphoto by Alexander Silva
Artwork_Artwork_
Unearth Series #09, 2021 / 185 × 121 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Umbra Series #06, 2020 / 211 × 142 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Umbra Series #08, 2020 / 211 × 139 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Alexander Silva
Artwork_Artwork_
Umbra Series #18, 2020 / 220 × 143 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Accretion Series #09, 2020 / 206 × 132 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Strata Series #09, 2020 / 181 × 126 cmHand-carved and laser-cut advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Aura Series #01, 2020 / 129 × 77 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Tear Series #01, 2020 / 88 × 117 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Tear Series #13, 2021 / 101 × 76 cmHand-carved advertising postersphoto by Alexander Silva
Artwork_Artwork_
Diffuse Series #03, 2019 / 191,5 × 143 cmHand-carved and laser-cut advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Diffuse Series #04, 2019 / 195 × 127 cmHand-carved and laser-cut advertising postersphoto by Vhilstudio
Artwork_Artwork_
Palimpsesto, 2019 / 400 × 300 cmSite-specific billboard installationphoto by Alexander Silva