Art that the sea washes away

Meet Vitor Raposo, the Man Who Created “The Art of the Sea Washing Away”

Albufeira’s Praia Maria Luisa is used as the canvas for artist Vitor Raposo’s amazing (but ephemeral) artwork in the sand.

when he lost his job a few years ago Vitor Raposo I thought to him, “The world will collapse.”Now he thinks it could have been “best of all” what happens to him.

Over the past three years, Vítor has become one of the Algarve’s best-known and most-loved artists.his work created by Create stunning paintings on the sands of María Luisa Beach in Albufeira Using only gardening tools like rakes and small forks has gone viral and is being shared around the world, from Japan to Brazil to the United States.

From tributes to local police and firefighters to world-famous icons like Kobe Bryant, Vitor’s work has amassed thousands of fans in just a few short years.

All his work ends up being washed away by the sea, which is why he named his Facebook page ‘Vítor Raposo – A Arte que o Mar Apaga’ (Vítor Raposo, the art the sea washes away).

Bathers who see him in action are amazed at his abilities. But for Vítor, it’s almost second nature.

“I have no training in art, architecture, etc. If you give me a pen and pencil, I really don’t know how to draw anything,” Vítor said. Resident When I visited him on Thursday (January 26th).

“I worked for a company that provided electrical services, so my professional career had nothing to do with art or drawing,” he explained.

Born in Mina de San Domingos, Alentejo, and having lived in Barreiro, near Lisbon, for nearly 35 years, the 59-year-old started exploring his artistic side after visiting his brothers and sisters in Albufeira, near María Luisa. I was.

Vítor, who has never lived near a beach but has always loved it, started by creating ‘Mariolas’ (artistic piles of rocks) with Maria Luísa.

However, between 2019 and 2020, I decided to start painting in sand using washed bamboo canes. He walked over to a nearby cliff and took a photo of his painting, satisfied with his own work.

“When I started, I shared pictures online and didn’t even post names. A lot of people asked who the person was and there was a bit of a mystery. I started signing my work with my name, I started using tools, and I started taking it a little bit more seriously,” Vítor told us.

It didn’t take long for Vítor’s work to gain traction.

He already has a large following on his Facebook page, where he posts photos and videos of his work almost daily. Over 23,000 people.

He has a backlog of requests for his work. Wedding proposal to happy birthday wishes., that is, he is no longer accepting requests. At 60, Vítor plans to retire and focus officially and professionally on his craft.

One of his fans, Ana Maria, was delighted to find Vitor on the beach the day he made the piece. A stunning tribute to Portuguese residents (see photo).

“I’m so happy to meet you. I didn’t know you would come here today,” she told Vitor.

“I love his work. I’m Portuguese, but I live in Switzerland and found his work on Facebook. I will confirm, his work is really great, ”said Ana Maria.

In fact, Vítor has received accolades from all over the world and has been invited to paint on other beaches. But for Vítor, there is no other place like Maria Luísa.

“This beach is beautiful. It’s like a postcard image,” the artist explained.

“It has great potential. Apart from the quality of the sand, it is very thin and leaves very few footprints.which made some people wonder if my work was processed in Photoshop – It also has a perfect environment with sea, sky and cliffs. It has everything you need to create and register your work,” he said.

No matter how beautiful his work may be, the sea that washes over his work is as certain as day turning to night.

However, some wonder how he can spend so much time each day, three to six hours to paint one painting, but even creating such a wonderful painting takes a few hours. It will disappear after some time. Vítor found beauty in that process.

“Some people say it’s such a shame that the ocean washes over my work. But I like it. I build it, register it, and enjoy watching the ocean change.

“You need power to pursue your dreams”

For Vítor, the key to following a dream is taking the first step.

“A friend once told me that he wanted the power to follow his dreams, and what I say to him and everyone else is: we have to take the first step, does not mean to start doing what you want right away. Then take another step. We can’t leave it to tomorrow. Before we know it, we do what we want and things start happening,” he said.

In fact, Vítor says he has a dream he has yet to fulfill. To exhibit his work in the arrivals and departures section of Faro Airport.

“My idea is to have an image of my work welcoming people to the Algarve or thanking them for their visit,” he says, always open to “collaborating” and teaching people his art. I added that it is

“I don’t want to keep all this to myself or hide what I do. Anyone who wants to see how I work or learn how I do it , you can send me a message to arrange.” He said.

“I always have to take tides, weather and other factors into consideration,” said the artist, noting that he doesn’t want people traveling from afar to be disappointed to see him and not find him there. Added..

For example, almost every beach in the Algarve, especially in the Albufeira area, is packed with tourists, which prevents Vítor from working during the summer months, especially during the busy months of July and August.

But if it was up to Vítor, he would have been working on his own work every day at Maria Luísa.

“My office is the ocean. And whenever I leave here to do other things, I can’t wait to be back. I can’t be away from the ocean, it’s my passion.”

You can follow Vítor on Facebook (Vítor Raposo – A Arte que o Mar Apaga), TikTok (@vitorraposo 17), or Instagram (@vitinha_rr).

To Michael Bruxo

michael.bruxo@portugalresident.com