The artist who builds hope from trash - Bordalo II and the recycled art of Lisbon

When you first walk through the colorful streets of Lisbon, between the tiled houses, the steep alleys and the clanking trams, you suddenly see a huge animal looking at you from a wall, built from old car parts, tires and broken plastic. The artist's name is Bordalo II - and what he does is more than street art. It is modern eco-art itself, which is beautiful, provocative and thought-provoking at the same time.

Bordalo II's art is not born on the white walls of galleries, but on the streets.

The urban space is not only a background, but also an active part of the work.

The passerby - who may not even be looking for art - falls under the influence of the work and becomes an involuntary participant.

Who is Bordalo II?

Artur Bordalo, known by his artist name Bordalo II, was born in Lisbon in 1987, into a family of artists.

He was attracted to the world of street art since childhood, he was already painting graffiti at the age of 11, and then began studying painting at the University of Fine Arts in Lisbon.

Bordalo II creates art out of trash. Not figuratively speaking - he uses actual discarded materials, broken objects, and industrial waste to construct stunning, life-size (or larger) animals.

The name "II" is a tribute to his grandfather, Artur Real Bordalo, the famous Portuguese painter - he was the first "Bordalo".

The message on the walls

Bordalo II is not just an artist, but also an activist. With all his work, he draws attention to the fact that what we throw away leaves a trace - in nature, in animals, in our future.

In his series “Big Trash Animals”, he creates endangered species from waste. These giant animals are symbolic: both beautiful and tragic, because they are built from the same materials that destroy their habitat.

Why is Bordalo II's art special?

Because it is able to reinterpret waste - not only as a material, but also as a story.

His works convey the message that everything we throw away returns - whether in the form of art or as a planetary-scale problem.

Bordalo II's art therefore represents one of the most important trends in contemporary visual culture: the meeting of sustainability and art.

His works are simultaneously spectacular, provocative and thought-provoking - and the animals born from garbage pose a question for all of us:

What do we do with what we throw away?

As a fox's eyes meet yours while walking the streets of Lisbon, you understand for a moment that trash is not a destination - but an opportunity.

After all, animals born from garbage evoke not only nature, but also our collective conscience.

Eco-sculptures erected in urban spaces are both beautiful and uncomfortable - like the reality in which we live.