Digital Art
Technology and the digital are inevitable tools to experiment with when it comes to reflecting and commenting on the transformations in our contemporary societies. As a critical researcher of our times, Vhils has enthusiastically embraced digital art since 2020 with a strong focus on creating phygital experiences by converging the traditional and the virtual art worlds. In the digital space, Vhils remains consistent with his poetics, but expands his work as he pushes the limits of what is understood for time, space, immersion, and participation.
Digital art is used by Vhils to record the ephemeral. In his “Rust Belt”, “Destroy to Create” or “Decipher” digital series, which are based on physical works in which he uses explosive charges to reveal intricate portraits on the wall, Vhils captures the very moment of the destruction with cameras that record 2000 frames per second. High-resolution videos allow individuals to contemplate in very slow motion what they otherwise could not with bare eyes. Therefore, the artist produces a condition of ephemerality, which, alongside the concept of creative destruction, has also been a constant element in his practice. Some of the resulting detritus from these physical explosions have also been digitalized to become 360-degree installations hovering in space.
Working with communities is also at the core of Vhils’ work. The latest advances in the digital space present him with advanced ways of reaching out to new audiences and promoting engagement. In his “Layers” collection, released in 2022, Vhils allows people worldwide to interact with his billboards in a generative art project. Collectors who buy digital pieces co-create the works by deciding how much they want to tear and reveal from their billboards. NFTs have been incorporated into his practice as a revolutionary technology to enhance and nurture community building.