Street art in Viseu

The motto of the street art interventions in Viseu was the wine, since Viseu is the heart of Dão wine region, known for its remarkable wines.

Viseu is famous for its rich historical heritage, along with a unique gastronomy and outstanding wines. But there’s more to it! Old buildings, once abandoned or somehow forgotten, are now bursting with life and colour thanks to the creative work of several street artists who were invited by the municipality to leave their incredible mark in the city.

Check out the beautiful inspiring works of AKA Corleone (Balsa quarter and Catholic University), BASIK (Rua Serpa Pinto), Daniel Eime (Avenida primary school), Frederico Draw (Rua do Hilário), Kruella d’Enfer (Balsa quarter), Lord Mantraste (Viseu bus station), Mariana, a miserável (Largo Pintor Gata – Cathedral quarter), Mário Belém (Rua dos Loureiros), Mesk (Viseu bus station)!

Ana Seia de Matos // PT
Born in Lisbon in 1981 and graduated in Interior Design, Ana Seia de Matos has conceived a large-scale weaving installation called “Hands that weave us” in the village of Calde, nearby Viseu. This challenging work pays tribute to the countless generation of women who have devoted their lives to the weaving heritage. The semi-circular shape conveys a notion of cosiness and sharing.

BASIK // IT
Born in Italy, this artist works and lives in Rimini. Considered by specialized magazine Aelle one of Italy’s most influential “graffiti writers”, BASIK combines oil painting techniques, Medieval themes and spray painting. Inspired by Grão Vasco, his eye-catching work is deeply moving.

Daniel Eime // PT
Born in 1986 in Caldas da Rainha, Daniel Eime is the master of stencil art. Inspired by expressive human faces, some of his most impressive works depicting Portuguese poet Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen and fado singer Carlos do Carmo can be seen in Graça quarter in Lisbon. In 2016, he opened his first individual exhibition: MOVE. His work can be seen in Avenida primary school in Viseu.

Draw & Contra // PT
Frederico Draw (1988), one of the most promising street artists in Portugal, along with Contra (1986), a graffiti and conceptual artist, have created a vibrant tile panel called “Passage”. The art of portrait combined with the uniqueness of Portuguese tiles !

Eduardo Relero //AR
This Argentinian artist has specialised in the 3D anamorphosis technique that invites the observer to look at things differently through an optical illusion. His works have travelled the world, from New York to Rome, from Mexico to Tokyo, conveying a powerful social message and a whole new way of interpreting the world.

Ergo Bandits // PT
This is the name of the collective formed by João Marquês Pereira e Ramon Freitas. They believe in art as a means of conveying ideas. Their work in Viseu aims to encourage communication between people instead of a lesser contact behind a screen. “Never stop searching”.

Fedor // PT
This artist was born in Oporto, mostly known for his work with textures and characters that he creates, combining elements inspired by cartoon illustration with the urban language of wild style graffiti.

Frederico Draw // PT
Deeply inspired by human expressions, this artist born in Porto has left two interventions in Viseu. The first one was carried out in 2015, consisting of a beautiful woman carrying grapes in her hands. The second one can be seen in the municipal quarter. Frederico Draw is also the artistic director of PUTRICA – Temporary Urban Proposals of Artistic and Cultural Intervention and Rehabilitation. The main goal of this projects consists of renewing urban spaces.

Godmess // PT
Godmess is a multi-tasking artist specialised in illustration. His artistic fields include: graphic design, painting, sculpture, installations, urban art, among others. He created a lively colourful mural called “Arraial”, celebrating popular feasts and Viseu as the European Capital of Folklore 2018. Diversity is is his main goal.

Halfstudio // PT
Especializados en “lettering” y “sign painting”, a los portugueses HalfStudio – una dupla formada por Mariana Branco y Emanuel Barreira – les gusta crear mensajes poderosos por las ciudades. En Viseu han creado un mural muy alegre dedicado al poder de las canciones como medio de expresar la joie de vivre.

Lord Mantraste // PT
Bruno Reis Santos aka Lord Mantraste claims that he wants to be Our Lady of Illustration. Born in 1988 in Caldas da Rainha, Lord Mantraste is the proud son of an hairdresser and a shepherd. Inspired by nature and childhood memories, his book cover of J. G. Ballard’s “High Rise” was considered the best illustration and design cover in 2015. His work can be seen in the bus station of Viseu.

Mariana, a miserável // PT
Born in 1986 in Leiria, Mariana dreamed of being a flower shop owner. This artist studied Graphic Design and participates in many illustration projects. Her work in Viseu is beautifully placed at the heart of the historical centre, depicting an hungry grape-eating woman. But the grapes are men-shaped characters!

Mário Belém // PT
“Don’t forget to be happy”. This is the powerful motto of the work of Mário Belém in Viseu. This graphic designer, born in Lisbon, also worked as a cartoonist and an advertiser. Nowadays, Mário Belém has returned to handmade drawing, his greatest passion, inspired by a mural in Lisbon. Along with André Ribeiro and Juan Carmona he founded “thestudio”.

Mesk //PT
Gustavo Teixeira aka Mesk loves to draw and to engage in new artistic techniques. In 2001 the artist began to work with cartoons and graffiti-related experiences and has never stopped since then. In 204 he joins the CMK crew, allowing him to explore his creative passion for graffiti and spray cans!

Samina // PT
The work of talented Samina, famous for mastering the stencil technique, is a tribute to one of the most iconic Portuguese writers of all times, Aquilino Ribeiro (1885 – 1963), who was born in the region of Viseu. Placed in a historical street of the city, Rua Direita, this impressive mural is a great example of the striking creative talent of Samina.

Third // PT
Nuno Palhas, born in 1979 in Vila Nova de Gaia, has revealed a passion for design and illustration since he was a child. He was one of the founding fathers of the graffiti movement in Portugal. His style goes from three-dimensional structures to design and illustration, supported by indoor and outdoor murals, paintings, clothing, posters and flyers. His work can be seen in the quarter Bairro da Balsa, in Viseu, where we can also see the amazing colourful works of AKA Corleone and Kruella d’Enfer.

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