Street life in Olhão

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Dario Silva isn’t a name that I knew until recently.  I’ve been seeing his handiwork around Olhão, in the Eastern Algarve, for a number of years, mostly on old and unloved buildings.  A prolific street artist, in 2009 he was forced to stop using spray paint.  The toxic fumes in the paint were damaging his liver.  But you can’t keep a good artist down.  “The street is my addiction”, he said.

In recovery, he turned to painting with a brush and water-based paints.  It’s a much slower medium but it enables him to continue to paint. His work might once have been regarded as vandalism, but now the commissions are coming in and even the local council have embraced him.  Many think that Olhão is a finer place for his intervention.

Vivenda Victoria is his best known work, in the main street of Olhão

Vivenda Victoria is his best known work

It’s virtually impossible to pass through Olhão without seeing Vivenda Victoria, in it’s abandoned state.  It sits on the E125, at the hub of the town’s shopping area.  Other works of art have started to mushroom in the most unlikely places, but you have to seek them out.

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I had thought to include the street artworks in a Monday walk, but they straggle around some of the town’s less desirable parts, and that is surely the point.  At times I felt a little intrusive, wandering with my camera through the back streets of Olhão.

I had intended to link this post to Thursday’s Special, which this week is themed ‘Abstract’.  By definition abstract means divorced from reality.  My images are rather a reflection of sad reality, but I would urge you to visit Suzanne’s wonderful post.  It might set you thinking.

Do you have a favourite of these?  Mine is still the boy with sad eyes.

131 comments

  3. Looks pretty yuk to me Jo. Don’t remember seeing any of his work years ago. But the last time we went the gypsy encampment by the railway lines had gone in favour of huge new flats so I guess this one more reason why I would hardly recognise Olhao. Prefer the blue and white tiles myself …

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    1. Can’t please all of the people, Kate. 🙂 If the council had a more responsible attitude to their dilapidated buildings maybe it wouldn’t happen. I love azulejos as much as anyone but there’s a time and a place.

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  4. The scale of his work is impressive Jo . I guess he was given free rein for subject matter , how marvellous .
    I wonder how long they will survive … the strong sunlight in Portugal must surely have quite an effect on the permanence of such paintings ….

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    1. He used to be moved along by the police on a regular basis, Poppy, but he now has gallery commissions so maybe the street art will be phased out… who knows? Some of the buildings are in a deplorable condition anyway, so the council have benefited. 🙂

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  5. Oh Jo, It’s so frustrating here lately as my internet is horrible. I’ve already tried twice to post a comment here and then lost it. Anyway, I love this artist and what he’s done to enliven this town. Your pictures are great too! I’m glad he’s getting recognition and also that he’s found a method to paint that’s not hazardous to his health. What a lovely post. I hope you’re getting some spring weather now. 🙂

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    1. Sorry about the problems, Cathy! I saw you have a new post and will come and read it later. No- it’s not a good weather week but Winter’s gone (should I dare say that? 🙂 )

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      1. Don’t speak too soon, Jo, about winter’s disappearance. You know how it has a way of hanging on! I’m hoping for the same here as the forecast promises improvement next week. But I hope it doesn’t turn into summer immediately. That will be too hot and sticky and miserable. 🙂

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  9. my fav is the front of Vivenda Victoria – the bird looking up and the mixed colors -and then I think you give us three views of that bird – so as to really get a feel for it – and you are right sad reality depicted – chilling

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  12. I do love street art and this work is amazing. I have never seen anything on the scale of Victoria Vivenda.
    Street art has become such a huge international “industry” that I may get to see some of Silva’s work elsewhere.
    Just off for a walk of my own in fact – to track down some Viennese street art. If I’m successful I may take you with me on Monday 🙂

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  17. Pingback: Guest Challenge: Abstract | Lost in Translation
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