In 1915, visionary poet Fernando Pessoa and his contemporaries launched Orpheu, a literary magazine that helped introduce Modernism to arts and literature. Provocative and forward-looking, this avant-garde publication set out “with the principal aim of agitating, subverting and scandalizing” the cultural establishment. Even its name, drawn from the myth of Orpheus, symbolized a refusal to look back, embracing an ethos of shedding the past to focus on the future. Though Orpheu survived for only two issues, it “immediately provoked a literary scandal” that sparked months of public debate, its bold ideas startling a society “marked by the past.” This short-lived artistic revolution ignited a creative fire, one that would resonate far beyond its time.

Over a century later, Pedro Vilas-Boas founded ORPHEU as a creative and design studio to rekindle that rebellious spirit. ORPHEU captures the essence of the original movement’s radical innovation and reimagines it for the present and future. By channeling the same drive to break conventions and push boundaries, the studio positions itself as a modern inheritor of that legacy, a twenty-first century vanguard using new tools and ideas to spark the next cultural renaissance.

Fusion of art, technology & imagination

ORPHEU’s vision is best described as a hyper-futurism movement combining art, technology and imagination to design iconic work and foster authentic dialogue. In practice, the studio merges creative artistry with cutting-edge technology to craft experiences that capture the imagination and connect with culture. Each project blends visual innovation with meaningful storytelling, resulting in work that feels both futuristic and deeply human. With an inventive energy akin to the world’s leading creative agencies, ORPHEU creates digital and physical experiences that leave a lasting impact.

More than a studio:
A movement & collective

From its foundation, ORPHEU has seen itself as more than a traditional agency. In the spirit of its namesake, it is a cultural movement, a creative platform where art, ideas and dialogue converge. ORPHEU is the home of Orpheu Magazine and a collective of artists and thinkers, serving as a modern-day salon for collaboration and intellectual exchange. Beyond delivering client work, the studio fosters an environment where original thought and experimentation thrive.

Every initiative at ORPHEU is guided by the belief that design and art can inspire real conversation and change. Just as the original Orpheu magazine galvanized discussion in its era, the studio’s projects aim to spark authentic dialogue in today’s world, whether through a groundbreaking visual identity for a brand or an immersive digital experience that gets people talking.

With a visionary approach and uncompromising imagination, ORPHEU embodies a new hyper-futurist movement for our times, one that honors the radical heart of the Orpheu generation and propels it into tomorrow’s creative frontier.