Bordalo II to hold exhibition in Paris with Gaza in his sights

"Irreversible" is "a visual cry that denounces ecological devastation, excesses and conflicts", says the artist. "In this exhibition I put my finger on the wound."
Portuguese artist Bordalo II opens the exhibition-manifesto IRREVERSIBLE in Paris on Saturday, "a visual cry that denounces ecological devastation, excesses and conflicts", putting "his finger on the wound" on issues such as the conflict in Gaza.

IRREVERSIBLE (Irreversible, in Portuguese) is an experience that "aims to raise awareness among new generations about the ecological and social challenges of the present", according to a press release.

"This is the first time that I have brought together works that transform my political and more provocative ideas into artistic objects designed for smaller spaces [...]. I believe that in this exhibition I am putting my finger on the wound," Bordalo II told the press in the French capital, highlighting the portraits of animals created from plastic waste, this time illuminated, to represent the "loss of biodiversity caused by human action".
Additionally, the artist will debut the new series Provocs, in which he explores "a more raw aesthetic and political language, designed to make people uncomfortable."

"The works on display are not just installations - they are provocations. The artist proposes a reading of public space, its symbols and contradictions, calling on visitors to rethink their role as citizens and agents of change," the statement says.

The free-entry exhibition takes place "in a raw and unconventional space of 300 square meters" at the Mathgoth gallery, a reference in urban art, from Wednesday to Sunday, until June 28, with the artist's presence on May 24 at 3 pm local time.
The main piece alluding to war, "a large acrylic missile resting on a pedestal", filled with numerous figures representing the innocent and the most vulnerable, from children, families to the elderly, whose lives are "destroyed by conflicts triggered by others", functions as "an omen of the catastrophe about to happen".

This "warning to all those lucky enough to be born on the 'right' side of the world" is intended to draw attention to the conflict in the Gaza Strip, where Israel has blocked assistance and the distribution of humanitarian aid for more than two months.

Artur Bordalo (Bordalo II - the first was his grandfather, the artist Real Bordalo, who died in June 2017, aged 91), born in Lisbon in 1987, started with graffiti, which prepared him for the work for which he became known: sculptures made from rubbish and waste, addressing issues such as excessive consumerism and inaction in the face of environmental challenges.

In recent years, he has been spreading Big Trash Animals around the world, portraits of animals made with the very things that destroy them, with his work being present all over the world.
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