Killa Was Here

Despite his young age, Killa Was Here has already established himself as one of the most promising - and unmissable - names in Portugal’s contemporary art scene. At only 28 years old, the artist is preparing to open his fifth solo exhibition.

From december 11 to 14, Killa Was Here will take over the Módulo in Lisbon, where he will present a range of new pieces that he has been working on over the last few months.

Curious to know what’s coming, we set out to explore the artist’s creative universe and what we can expect from this new exhibition.

At 28, you’re about to present your fifth solo exhibition. What does that feel like? What does it mean to you to reach this point so early in your career?

I don’t think much about what comes sooner or later in my career, or at least I try not to. I work idea by idea, and I always look forward to exhibitions like this one where I can show what I’ve been creating. I am undoubtedly very grateful for everything that has been done and for all the exhibitions I’ve taken part in. I don’t know if it’s early or late for a fifth solo exhibition, but these exhibitions, organized by me from start to finish, are always the ones that give me the most pleasure to carry out. Despite the additional work and the inevitable investment associated with organizing an exhibition this way, it allows me to do everything my own way and, in doing so, present the body of works in the most authentic way possible.

What are the weeks leading up to a new exhibition like for you? A lot of chaos and adrenaline?

I would say they are an organized chaos. Many hours in the studio and a lot of thought dedicated to the exhibition, but by keeping myself organized I manage to keep everything in order.

It’s been over a year since your last solo exhibition at the Cupra City Garage. How does “KYNETICS” set itself apart from your previous shows, and what can the audience expect from this new phase?

I think that from exhibition to exhibition I have been, and continue to be, finding more and more what I enjoy painting and creating. Something that rarely used to happen was feeling the desire to keep some works for myself, and in these past few years that has been happening more frequently. In this body of work, I experimented with different techniques, materials, and styles, but I believe my visual language remains clearly present in the pieces. You’ll have to see it for yourself!

Was there a specific concept, inspiration, or line of thought that you wanted to explore in this exhibition?

The name “KYNETICS” arises as a kind of postlude to the works themselves. It came to me after they had been conceived/imagined, and not at an earlier stage of the production process. I didn’t consciously explore any specific theme to present in the exhibition, but when looking at the body of work as a whole, this theme ended up revealing itself naturally.

The exhibition brings together a series of works created in my new studio since my move to Lisbon. The title (which derives from the term kinesthesia) stems from the relationship between these pieces and the idea of movement - movement as a creative impulse, as an action filled with adrenaline, and as a shift between languages, processes, and materials.

It is always difficult for me to express my work through words, but I believe that once you see the exhibition, this explanation will make sense.

Your work has grown far beyond painting, especially with sculpture and collectibles, and even your own brand has been gaining increasing relevance. What creative territories do you feel you still want to explore? What is still missing from the “Killa Was Here artistic universe”?

In the long term, the possibilities and desires are endless. Projects in which my work can intersect with other, less conventional fields for this type of collaboration - such as architecture, stage design, landscape design, among others.

In the short to medium term, my goal is to produce and install (somewhere) a large-scale sculpture. Several projects have already crossed my path, but the conditions to move forward with any of them haven’t yet aligned. I know that it will happen soon, which will allow me to take on more projects of this nature and scale.

I don’t feel that anything is “missing” from the artistic universe, but I am eager to see one of my giants come to life.

A positive message to our community :)

Thank you to everyone who supports me and makes all of this possible. Support your friends, artists, and portuguese culture in general! We move forward together!