If you are planning to visit Lisbon, you should familiarize yourself with the breathtaking work of a young Portuguese artist – by the name of Artur Bordalo, AKA Bordaloii.
Artur adopted the tag Bordaloii as a touching tribute to his grandfather, Real Bordalo, who himself was a painter. A young Bordaloii idolized his grandfather, and this is where he discovered his passion for art. He often spent hours watching his Grandfather watching him paint in his studio. From the tender age of 11, Artur Bordalo began to spray walls in the streets of Lisbon.
As his teenage years passed, his passion for art only increased whilst studying at the Fine Arts Academy in Lisbon, Portugal. He ended up staying for eight years. During his time at the Academy of Fine Arts, Artur developed a flair for creating art using a wide variety of materials. The eight years of studying art were influential in the creation of Bordaloii and his unique brand of street art.
The work of Bordaloii
Bordaloii is often referred to as an “artivist”. “Artivist” is an appropriate description of him as he is both an artist and activist. The activist part of his work is present in everything he creates. He builds his designs using the waste from society, helping to create something beautiful from the devastating excess waste – created by civilization.
The purpose of this is to raise awareness to the fact that we all need to change how we dispose of our excess. What Bordaloii does with waste is a brilliantly unique way to raise awareness regarding sustainability. Reusing our waste in such a unique way enables him to convey a vital message – that can be understood by any culture and age group. That message is: we, as humans, are causing irreversible damage to our planet and wildlife.
Bordaloii has tackled the issue of sustainability by launching his big trash animals collection – which highlights how the behavior of humans is affecting animals.
Iberian Lynx
One of his more recent pieces is the Iberian Lynx – located in Parque das Nações. It is a much-admired landmark in the busy area of Oriente, Lisbon. It is an imposing sculpture standing at over 10 meters in height. The Iberian Lynx sculpture embodies the message Bordaloii is trying to get across to humanity – because the Lynx is a highly threatened species, and it enforces the message Bordaloii wants to convey about the damage we are causing. He explained it best when he was asked about the idea behind his work: “The idea is to depict nature itself, in this case, animals, out of materials – that are responsible for its destruction.”
Much of his works are striking because they are attached to walls, especially the big trash animals collection. However, the Iberian Lynx sculpture is unique because it is a standalone piece in such a prominent area of Lisbon. The location alongside the species of this sculpture makes it a memorable message that we all need to do more for our planet.
[wpdiscuz-feedback id=”68bgitqspm” question=”What is your favourite piece from the big trash animal collection by Bordaloii?” opened=”0″]Another memorable piece by Bordaloii in his big trash animals collection[/wpdiscuz-feedback] is the unforgettable Half Fox, located in Santos, Lisbon – near the popular tourist destination of Cais do Sodre.
The uniqueness of Bordaloii
The work of Bordaloii can be seen across Lisbon and in many other cities throughout the world. The half weasel special edition collection is a one-off collection that replicates in 3D the uniqueness of his designs. Every copy in this collection is crafted by hand. Using different materials such as textiles and MDF for this collection magnifies the importance, significance and creativity of Bordaloii.
Check out our article on five recommended places to see when you visit Lisbon.
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