Artur Bordalo (Bordalo II), born in 1987 in Lisbon, adopted his artist name in tribute to his grandfather, painter Real Bordalo. His early artistic development was influenced by time in his grandfather’s studio and involvement in the underground graffiti scene. Though he studied painting for eight years at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Lisbon, Bordalo shifted his focus to sculpture and ceramics. His public art, often made from repurposed waste materials, critiques society’s excessive consumption and environmental destruction. His work, displayed globally, serves as a manifesto for sustainability and the responsible use of resources.

Bordalo II

Portuguese

Portuguese artist Alexandre Farto (b. 1987) has been interacting visually with the urban environment under the name of Vhils since his days as a prolific graffiti writer in the early-to-mid 2000s.

His groundbreaking bas-relief carving technique – which forms the basis of the Scratching the Surface project and was first presented to the public at the VSP group exhibition in Lisbon in 2007 and at the Cans Festival in London the following year –, has been hailed as one of the most compelling approaches to art created in the streets in the last decade.