
Why would anyone care to dig through trash? Dumpsite is not a very pleasant place to be. It's where scrap metal rusts and damaged bumpers, burnt garbage cans, used tires and old appliances slowly decay only to create long-lasting ulcers in our environment. There is, however, someone who goes there often to give garbage a second chance.
Hugely talented Artur Bordalo (aka Bordalo II) is a Portuguese street artist who managed to draw attention to the problems of waste production, pollution and its effect on the planet in a rather innovative way. He creates street art from garbage and tries to raise awareness about all the materials that we are most likely to toss instead of re-using them.
In his latest project, he revives the walls and back alleys of Lisbon by displaying numerous remarkable 3D murals of scrap metal animals. "The idea is to depict nature itself, in this case – animals out of materials that are responsible for its destruction. With this project I mainly aim to raise ecological and social awareness," says the inspiring young artist, who, as a child, loved to observe his grandfather – painter Real Bordala – at work.
It takes him about seven days to complete an individual composition. For the time being, he wishes to remain put and create art in his home town. He says Lisbon is full of suitable locations to display his art at and he will not run out of ideas any time soon. "My animals are more than just recycled junk. They loudly criticize the world we are given to live in, yet we create these enormous piles of trash, not really realizing that many beautiful things we own are basically junk to begin with," explained the Portuguese artist who brought a completely new dimension to experiencing disposed materials.
Dull, monotonous walls or peculiar, lively wildlife with a meaningful stare in their eyes? What would you choose?