Artur Bordalo (aka Bordalo II) is a street artist who has created a series of wall-sized animal murals using paint and clever reconfigurations of recycled trash. Among his “found” materials are scrap metal, tires, tubing, and crushed bumpers — anything that has been produced, used, and thrown away to last an eternity in the landfill. Stunningly, Bordalo has turned such tarnished objects into delicate feathers, soft fur, and complex exoskeletons, paying a bold homage to the animals he represents. In a clever blend of 2D and 3D art, the creations emerge from the walls like brilliant optical illusions, demanding our attention and curiosity.
Built in urban spaces, the sculpted murals occupy apartment buildings, underpasses, and forgotten corners. Bordalo’s goal is to bring attention to the pervasiveness of environmental degradation, and how our “throwaway culture” transforms natural habitats into graveyards of non-biodegradable waste. The sculptures stand as beautifully sad monuments to the animals that once lived in those spaces, and in other developed and exploited areas around the world. Giving a literal “face” to both our garbage and the fellow species our consumer behaviors affect, Bordalo’s work is both intensely creative and culturally conscious.
[via beautiful/decay]