ODE TO ALEXANDRE AND HIS TEAM
- tesssheerin
- Aug 2
- 3 min read
Updated: Aug 3
Cultural overwhelm are the words that spring to mind after my time in Spain and Portugal. I can't blog about everything from my European Art Adventure, but visiting VHILS Studio in Portugal and attending an exhibition opening at Galleria Underdogs were major highlights.
I made my way across the bridge towards Barreiro, where I was greeted by the lovely Catarina Jacques, who had taken time out of her busy schedule to show me around. Her role as Senior Operations and Production Manager is an important one.
Alexandre Farto’s works adorn the walls of the warehouse, showcasing many years of experimentation, some of which I’d seen before, mostly online. He’s a prolific artist and someone I’ve admired since accidentally coming across his art in Shoreditch, London, back in 2010.
Here’s how his method of working had a monumental impact on mine:
There was a face scratched into the surface of a wall. I thought it was fantastic, taking a printmaking technique like etching and turning it into street art. It felt like I had experienced something entirely new. I was both inspired and a little jealous. I wanted to create something that hadn’t been done before (pretty much impossible, right?!).
After hearing about the devastating earthquakes on BBC News from my studio in St Ives, I decided to move back to Ōtautahi, Christchurch in Aotearoa. At the University of Canterbury’s Fine Art School, I was taught a printmaking technique called the gesso release (thanks, Gail).
By combining this technique with my then-newly developed drawing style, I began making large-scale, backwards puzzles (you can definitely see the influence of photograffeur JR here).
Bringing these techniques into public spaces, I began brightening up areas in the city. That’s how my large-scale murals started in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Thanks, Alexandre!
Back to the tour… Catarina’s knowledge of the studio’s various processes is thorough. I met David Monteiro, who had just returned from a meeting, and he insisted I walk down to see 'Rostos'. I promptly set off to find this amazing mural.
I left the studio beaming with joy, filled with a sense of possibility and excitement.
The next morning, I eagerly headed to the photography exhibition 'Time Stands Still' by Jeff Wall at MAAT after admiring the architecture and rooftop garden. Continuing along the Tagus River, I came across the incredible 'Padrão dos Descobrimentos' monument. It was hot, so I devoured ice cream in Empire Square Garden before heading into MAC/CCB, where works by Moore, Dalí, Carrington and many more were right there in front of me!
On my final evening in Portugal, I was lucky to be invited to the 'Memória Material' exhibition opening at Galleria Underdogs. Although I didn’t get to meet Alexandre (he was on holiday), it truly felt like a dream come true. Every Portuguese person I met, except for one cab driver, was absolutely lovely. I’d go as far as saying I love Portugal and its exceptional people. Obrigada!
