One of the most famous Portuguese street art artists Vhils has created a portrait of Serhiy Nigoyan from the posters that have been pasted on the streets of Ukrainian cities since February 24. This is one of the two works that he will present at the exhibition of contemporary art in the new cultural space MOT by the don’t Take Fake team in Kyiv
According to Vhils, he chose «significant figures from Ukraine’s recent history, expressing core values of peace, freedom, equality and human rights» as the heroes of his new works. One of them is Serhiy Nigoyan, the first Euromaidan activist who died in January 2014 on Hrushevskoho Street during the Revolution of Dignity.
«I carved this same image onto a wall in Kyiv back in 2015 as an homage to all the protesters who sacrificed their lives in the name of equality and freedom», Vhils explained.
In an interview that will be published soon on DTF Magazine, the artist told us why he chose Nigoyan as the hero of his work once again.
«At one time I met Serhiy Nigoyan’s family and was touched by his story. He was the first to die on the Maidan, fighting for freedom and dignity. And I still remember my impressions of the location that was chosen for the mural with Serhiy (the wall of the brick house facing Saint Michael’s Square and St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery. — Note from DTF Magazine). So I wanted to perpetuate the memory of him and create another portrait of him, this time from the posters that were created to keep up the morale of Ukrainians. I think it’s also very symbolic».
Who else from the Ukrainians will be the hero of Vhils work will be known at the opening of the MOT exhibition on February 17.
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Portuguese artist Alexandre Farto, known as Vhils, has developed a unique visual language based on removing the top layers of walls and other surfaces using unconventional tools and techniques.
His poignant, poetic portraits carved into peeling walls adorn cityscapes around the world. Based on his vandalism aesthetic, Vhils destroys in order to create. He carves, cuts, drills, engraves, and makes his way through layers of materials.
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MOT, or «Module of Temporality», is a new project by the don’t Take Fake team. It is a two-story temporary cultural space built of 27 modular containers, where the works of international and Ukrainian artists will be shown for three months. The goal of the project is to draw even more attention to Ukraine and to raise funds for the restoration of cultural institutions damaged by russian aggression.
You can read more about MOT, which of the great artists have joined the project and how to get into the space here and here.
