Francisco Vidal

Acquired directly from the artist by the present owner

Luanda, Centro Cultural Português, Instituto Camões, Água e Luz, 2013
Milan, Angolan Pavilion, Milan Mundial, 2015

There is good impasto throughout the work. There are minor surface losses where the machetes have rubbed against each other. There is a crack to the handle of one machete on the 3rd and 4th panel. Some machete handles are missing a screw, however this seems to be the artist's intent. There are several machetes which are loose, most notably the last machete on the right hand side. Otherwise, the work appears to be in good overall condition.
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Born in 1978 to Cape Verdean and Angolan parents, Francisco Vidal lives and works between Lisbon and Luanda. The artist has also spent time in New York City where he earned his MFA from Columbia University School of the Arts. Using a former bomb factory as his studio, Vidal explores themes of colonialism (focusing on the relationship between Portugal and Angola), labour, war, violence, travel and the concept of an industrial revolution, which the artist believes is key for the advancement and prosperity of Angola.

Citing artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol amongst his influences, Vidal is known for creating large painting or silkscreen installations comprised of bold colours and gestures. The artist also explores the act of repetition and, much like Warhol, aligns the creation of his work to that of manufacturing within the confines of his former factory. The colours and rhythms of the 1980s, graffiti, hip-hop and MTV also influence the artist’s aesthetic.

Spurred by the lack of available materials in Angola, Vidal began to use machetes as his canvas, adorning their metallic surfaces with depictions of colourful cotton flowers and figural representations. Vidal’s cotton buds are representative of a 1961 conflict between a Portuguese-Belgian cotton plantation and its Angolan labourers who were fighting for better working conditions. This event is often referred to as the first step in Angola’s war for independence. Icarus Chocolate exhibits Vidal’s cotton buds but also explores themes of Greek mythology and Icarus’s, or perhaps Angola's, new wings. Proudly displayed on the Angolan flag, the symbolism of the machete and its place within the history of Angola has become a hallmark of the artist’s practice.

Co-founder of the Angolan artist collective 'e-studio Luanda', Vidal has been instrumental in the development of the Angolan art scene. Known as one of Angola’s preeminent artists, the artist has experienced much international success, exhibiting at the 2015 Venice Biennale, 2015 Expo Milan and, more recently, at the 2016 Armory Show.