DESY CXXIII - "Old Rome / Velha Roma "

Spray on canvas 2024 'Remnants of Indigence' Old Rome, the lights and the people, the people shape the cities, cities shape the people...


Desy CXXIII (born in Guarda, 1985) grew up surrounded by comic books. Around age 17, he developed a strong interest in drawing, starting with sketches inspired by comic characters. In 2002 he entered the art world through urban art and graffiti.

He works with multiple supports — paper, walls, cellophane, urban furniture, canvas, and glass — often using discarded materials. His art emphasizes transparency, layering, and color contrasts that produce a powerful visual impact. His subjects and techniques explore themes of social exclusion, inequality, capitalism’s abuses, environmental degradation, and the loss of human values.
His work often portrays elderly or marginalized figures — abandoned by society yet carriers of hidden stories — rendered through layered spray-painted glass and other recycled materials.

Exhibitions & Projects

2012: Founded Atelier 33 in Guarda.
2013–2015: Early solo shows (Desy33 at Atelier 33; Artem Vandalism at TMG-Guarda) and live mural collaborations with artists such as L7Matrix (Brazil).
2016: Solo exhibitions in Pinhel and Guarda (13), residency at Gallery 44309 (Dortmund), and projects in Rome and Loures.
2017–2018: Invited for SIAC 2 (Guarda), Loures Arte Pública, and international street art festivals including UpFest (Bristol, UK) and Le Lavo//matik (Paris, France).
2019: Tribute mural to Raul Solnado (Tondela).
2020–2021: Murals for 25 April Revolution commemorations in Guarda and Loures, plus curating Arte Nos Bairros (SIAC 5).
2022: Commemorations for the 100th anniversary of the South Atlantic crossing by Gago Coutinho (Celorico da Beira), murals in Gouveia and Nelas, and the exhibition Spoils of Indigence.
2023: Solo exhibition 3XP3RIMENTAL at Museu da Guarda (Galeria Evelina Coelho).
2024: Collective exhibition The Memories of Others (TMG, Guarda, DGArtes-funded) and solo participation at Festival Opensounds Alpedrinha.

International Reach

He has painted and exhibited in Portugal (Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, Loures, Guarda, etc.) and internationally in France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. His works are included in private collections across Europe.
Critical Note

According to biographer João Mendes Rosa, Desy’s most recent work shows a clear artistic maturity, conveying strong social concerns:
Social inequalities driven by exploitative capitalism.
Erosion of human values (friendship, solidarity, justice) replaced by materialism and individualism.
Environmental degradation from mass production and uncontrolled consumption.

Through his art, Desy reclaims discarded materials, giving voice to marginalized individuals — “the abandoned ones who are, in truth, the hidden gold of our society.”