Vhils: Scratching the surface

The portuguese street artist Alexandre Farto, commonly known as Vhils, have an unique take on street art.  He converts the wall to a scratchboard, chipping away the plaster and remove the negative space with a weathered touch. The wall becomes the subject itself and his portraits grows out of the wall. I first saw Vhils work in the streets London and was amazed by his technique and style. Since then, I've seen his works in the streets of Paris, Berlin and Stavanger.

With Vhils wall portraits, I get the feeling that "the wall" is trying to tell me something. Maybe make me aware of the sacrifices that some humans do for the sake of humanity and against oppression and that others pains and struggles have secured my own freedom and welfare.

The summer of 2012, I was lucky to see a solo exhibition of Vhils in Paris. I often find that artist that do work in the streets doesn’t work very well inside, as art in a gallery. Vhils works did well in the gallery. Using his unique scratching and chipping technique on doors, iron plates and styrofoam making smaller scale portraits.

I took the picture above in Stavanger, Norway, april 2012. "The fisherman" was made for the nuart festival in Stavanger 2010 and the huge portrait still looks strikingly fresh!

Together with this image I choose "Fisherman's Blues" by the Waterboys (click the link or the "play" button below!).

Dolk: The pay phone!

This is one of the most well preserved stencil in the streets of Bergen made by Dolk. I took the picture on an october night in 2011 on my way home from town. It's located, pretty hidden, in a backyard near the legendary pub Garage. I'm not sure when this was made, but its a long time since Dolk did work in the streets of Bergen (Norway). I read somewhere that he did his last works here around 2006. Not because he stopped doing street art, quite contrary. In 2006 he was invited by Banksy to London to join the "Santa's Ghetto" festival. Since then, Dolk have worked all over the world at street art festivals and exhibitions. Today he is among the world's most recognised street artists. Since 2008, he has also taken street art out of it's urban environment and given lots of recognition for his works on deserted wooden houses at the rural coast of Lofoten (Norway).

Dolk Lundgren was born in Bergen 1979 and little is known publicly about his background. Dolk Lundgren is a pseudonym, his signature, from the days he did illegal works in the streets of Bergen. Despite his fame as an artist, he has kept his real identity hidden from the general public.

Dolk's images are highly thought through and gives an imediate reaction or perception that stays with you long after you've walked past. Their sometimes funny and contradictory in style; Combining iconic figures, persons or symbols with a touch of sarcasm as a comment on actual issues or more enduring issues in society. E.g. when he pictured Prince Charles with a Burger King hat. Another line of his images often have an emotional undertone that supports the lonely, the different and the neglected soul (often a child). I think the image above is along that line.

Dolk Lundgren lives in Melbourne where he study art and travel the world doing art on the streets! Along with this image I choose Decoder Ring feat. Lenka (from the movie Somersault): Somersault (Score) (Click on the link or the "play" button in the box below to listen).