VHILS makes massive life portraits with unconventional materials. I love how in this video of the artist shaping piles of gravel, it's unclear what the overall picture is close-up. As we zoom out to a birds-eye view, the portrait begins to emerge.
I also appreciate how much work this takes despite being an impermanent piece of art. I wonder how long the work typically lasts before the weather and other factors begin to affect the way it looks?
From Instagram:
"VHILS is known for doing larger than life portraits with unlikely materials; often using jack hammers. This time he is using piles of gravel.
@vhils ⚪️⚫️⚪️⚫️ In one of my latest creation with my studio , we use a unique process to honor Alec Issigonis, the designer of the original Mini. By filling tubes of different depths with gravel and lifting them, we create varied white spots on the canvas. This technique, perfected by our team, results in a singular artwork that commemorates Issigonis' innovative spirit from the 1950s."
Here's a brief, four-minute profile of the Portuguese artist.
And here he is at work:
