BORDALO II – EVILUTION LISBON

Bordalo II and the Evilution of ‘Trash Art’.

Born and raised in Lisbon, Artur Bordalo aka Bordalo II learned his craft both in the studios of his grandfather, the painter Real Bordalo, and amongst the city’s energetic graffiti scene. He began leaving his mark on walls of Lisbon at the age of 11 under the tag of Bordalo II, a tribute to his grandfather, before going on to pursue a degree in painting at the Fine Arts school in Lisbon. 

After discovering sculpture and ceramics and experimenting with a myriad of materials, Bordalo II’s sculpting techniques evolved and he found his calling: ‘trash art’. From the outset, he has focused on taking what has been discarded and creating art as a poignant criticism of pollution, overconsumption, and underscoring the lack of urgency and measures to mitigate environmental catastrophe. 

Since 2012, he has salvaged over 115 tonnes of used materials, from tyres, dumpsters, marine debris, ropes, and other discarded objects, to create large-scale sculptures depicting mostly animals — his own acknowledgment of how important it is to put nature at the centre. His work has been presented globally as both highly resonant site-specific pieces and in exhibitions, from Singapore, the USA, and French Polynesia to France, Germany, and Austria.

In Lisbon’s Edu Hub, a new destination being developed in the Park of Nations and its neighbour, Marvila by Chitra and Roman Stern, founders and owners of the Martinhal Group and the Elegant Group, the exhibition will showcase recognised pieces of Bordalo II’s renowned “trash art” as well as never-before-seen approaches and styles.

Martinhal, which has several beautiful hotels throughout Portugal, including new branded residences opening this winter, has partnered with Bordalo II in launching the exhibition which will run until December. The company has long been an ardent supporter of local art having worked with Portuguese artists such as Kruella D’Enfer, Graça Paz, Pedro Batista, Maria Imaginário and Tamara Alves, among many others. 

The exhibition represents somewhat of a homecoming for Bordalo II whose giant Iberian Lynx sculpture already has a place in the exciting riverside Park of Nations neighbourhood. Additionally, the Portuguese artist’s work could not be more in keeping with the reimagining of the district’s industrial past, and Martinhal’s role in revitalising and re-using older buildings to create the Lisbon International School and the Edu Hub that will host the event.

Fused chatted to Bordalo II to get the lo-down:

How do you hope that your work can shine a light on the current issues around the climate emergency? 

I hope that by using trash creatively people can become more aware of the immensity of waste produced by us – not only at home but by industries; My goal is that everyone and all entities start thinking very seriously about what they are producing if it’s indispensable to produce it and if so, how much of it – this way we’ll certainly be less harmful to the planet.

Your approach to art has saved tonnes of plastic and waste to go into landfill – what made you start making work in this way?

I started using my own waste to give my paintings a 3D effect. This made me realise that everyone has waste and we all as a society produce an insane amount of it. And this had to be enhanced with an environmental message.

We’ve seen that you are referred to as an ‘artivist’ which we LOVE – can you tell us what that means to your own creative expression? 

I think all artists have to create with a purpose, a goal, a strong message for the world. As for my work and especially for the Big Trash Animals series, I am an artivist for the Planet. My work here lies in bringing awareness about the harm of Men to Nature and all animals and trying to stop or bring people to be more conscious of their consumption habits.

What was the process and how did you begin to decide on the exhibits for this new exhibition at Edu Hub? 

I was meant to have done a solo show in 2020 but the the Pandemic postponed everything. During the last 2 years, I’ve taken the time to develop ideas that were just on paper and this brought me to Evilution – it’s an opportunity to show new techniques, and materials with (unfortunately) the same message.

Where and in what direction do you hope your art will take you next? 

I will keep exploring these matters and everyday issues and problems in society. The materials, unfortunately, seem to be infinite, so exploring and expanding that way as well.

Can you tell us what it is like being an artist in Lisbon? Is there a good and supportive creative scene? Are there good places to connect with other artists? 

Lisbon is my city, so I know it very well and is where I feel most comfortable. At the moment, it’s tingling with new artists, and artistic communities so I believe it’s a good time to be an artist in Lisbon.

What has the sponsorship from Martinhal Resorts allowed you to do that you might not have been able to?

Edu Hub location has two very special characteristics that are important to me and my global expression: the fact that it is next to a school – and one of the biggest goals of my art is to educate; the second one that they have this warehouse, like a blank canvas that I could use without limitation, as opposed to other places like a gallery or a museum.

EVILUTION is available to see until 11th December, 2022

Open Wednesday – Sunday, 2pm – 8pm (last entry at 7pm)

Edu Hub Lisbon, Av. Marechal Gomes da Costa 19, 1800-255 Lisboa