Broken Vision: Paul Insect’s First Solo Exhibition in Portugal

Paul Insect is a British contemporary artist presenting his latest art collection, “Broken Vision,” at Galeria Underdogs in Marvila, from September 5 to November 1 this year.

By Tereza Pedro, in Events, Lisbon · 20 Sep 2025, 11:01 · 0 Comments

Paul Insect’s bright, multi-textured collages feature cropped portraits, colour fields, Ben Day dots, and decorative elements such as diamond dust and glitter. He first gained recognition as part of the “Insect” artist collective, which was active between 1996 and 2005.

Anonymity as freedom

Paul prefers to keep his true identity anonymous. In a world where visibility is everything, this choice is very important to him. He never felt the need to show himself; for him, anonymity in a digital world is a form of freedom. Paul keeps the focus on the work rather than the personality behind it. In a society obsessed with faces and visibility, he decided to step back, allowing his work to carry its own voice and resist the usual noise.

Between playfulness and darkness

His work mixes playfulness with darker undertones. “I see my art in the space between the two. The playfulness draws people in, it's the work I find the most fun to make, quick ideas, executed in a low-fi way, but underneath there’s usually some connection that reflects the current world we live in. Humour and darkness like to coexist, revealing both societal contradictions and the emotions that connect us as humans, so I suppose in that duality, I’m both a commentator and storyteller who is inspired by everyday life.”

His works carry both humour and critique. Paul believes it’s important for us all to have a responsibility to engage with social and political issues. For him, it’s less about duty and more about awareness and presence. Some of his work is autobiographical; how he feels in a moment can often seep into the art he works on at that time.

“I try to separate the humour away from my gallery work and focus that instead on what I call my throwaway work, the ideas that find their way onto the street, such as the puppets I make or the interactive projects I’ve done with deleted graffiti. I think art should create space for reflection and inspiration, and open new discussions. And I try to do this with my work.”

Lisbon as an inspiration

Lisbon has a strong creative energy, from street art to traditional crafts. Paul had time to explore the city between setting up the show.

“Lisbon has this incredible energy - it hits you with its historic buildings, classic tilework both inside and out, its industrial edges, and soft palette of colour, and of course its incredibly friendly people. I’ve become obsessed with the pixelated stone paths, polished smooth from the constant foot traffic. The city feels raw, alive and carries a rebellious edge that resonates with me. It’s hard not to be inspired here.”

Broken Vision: The Exhibition

Broken Vision is Paul’s first solo exhibition in Portugal. Alexandre Farto, also known as Vhils, the Portuguese artist who founded the gallery Underdogs, has known Paul for around twenty years and has been encouraging him for many years to come to Lisbon and produce a show with the gallery. Finally, Paul found a clear moment to dedicate seven months to creating the works that are on display in ‘Broken Vision’,

“Lisbon felt like the perfect stage for this work. Having visited Lisbon a few years ago, I knew I wanted to come back and do something here.”

Broken Vision features 22 new works and two limited-edition prints. The collection began with the simple question. “What do we reveal, and what do we hide?” By masking and fracturing the faces, some as if seen in a broken mirror, each piece becomes both intimate and mysterious. Individually, they tell different stories, together, they explore identity. A shadowed figure in one, vulnerability in another, which can offer a masked tension and concealment, much like our modern world. The screen-print edition created for the show is based on one of the paintings and used a mixture of printing techniques and hand finishing.

Surveillance and Identity

⁠Many of the works feature cut-out eyes and faces. In Broken Vision, these elements are tied to questions of surveillance and identity. London, where Paul lives and works, is a place where you’re under surveillance from every angle, so the desire to remain anonymous feels even more urgent. Nowadays, we are all masked behind our phones, becoming forms of tension - caught between what we show and what to conceal. The cut-out eyes he paints create an intimate connection, but also a distance, reflecting the barriers we put up to protect ourselves.

His works combine handcrafted collage with references to screen-printing and photocopy effects.

“I grew up in the analogue age, a time before digital convenience, when entertainment and direction had to be invented rather than provided. Moving to London in the early ’90s, I began working on video cover and record sleeve design, piecing these together with photocopies, airbrush work, and cut-up film stills. This was before Photoshop became widely accessible, and this hands-on process demanded both invention and instinct. That hands-on approach for self-made discovery of ideas still informs and shapes how I approach my work today.”

Visit Underdogs Gallery to Explore Broken Vision

Visitors are warmly invited to experience Broken Vision in person and immerse themselves in the energy of Insect’s first solo exhibition in Portugal.

Underdogs Gallery is located in the vibrant Marvila district, a hub for contemporary art in Lisbon. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 2:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Closed on Sundays and Mondays)

Tereza Pedro is originally from Slovakia and now based in the Algarve, with a master’s in mass media. Passionate about lifestyle and storytelling, she captures the essence of daily life through a blend of creativity, international perspective, and coastal living—all while raising her son.