VHILS Cherokee Mural

VHILS is a Portuguese street artist. His internationally recognized trademark is the forming of dramatic, oversized portraits made by carving directly into outdoor walls. He has torn, drilled and blasted his way around the globe to create uncommon and striking portraits of the common citizen. His groundbreaking carving technique has been hailed as one of the most compelling approaches to art created in the street in the last decade. Using jackhammers and chisels, Vhils used his unique process to create a stunning portrait which was based on the first photographs made of Native American Cherokee.

As part of the inaugural Festival of Murals brought to downtown Fort Smith by The Unexpected, VHILS used jackhammers and chisels to create a portrait that is based on the first known photographs of a Native American Cherokee.

The mural is located along Garrison Avenue in Historic Downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas. If you're heading west, the mural is located on your right side just a short distance from the General Darby Monument that greets visitors as they enter downtown. It is a prominent feature of a small pocket park that has been installed in what was once an empty lot located between two city buildings.