Bordalo II Interview: Provoc, Political Art and the Public Street
We spoke with Portuguese artist Bordalo II about the provocative political and social interventions developing alongside his increasingly recognised Big Trash Animals. While his monumental sculptures were transforming discarded waste into animals, another side of his practice was using the street more directly as a place to question power, politics and the contradictions of contemporary society.
Public space has always given artists the opportunity to communicate beyond the traditional gallery, placing ideas directly into the path of everyday life. For Bordalo II, that meant creating works capable of interrupting the familiar and provoking a response, often through humour, visual irony and an unmistakably critical edge.
Today, this strand of his practice is known as Provoc. Bordalo II describes the series as a collection of often ephemeral interventions that interact with the urban environment while examining subjects including pollution, the exploitation of women, media sensationalism, connectivity and control.
We caught up with Bordalo II to discuss why public art should retain its ability to challenge society, question authority and make people stop and think.
GraffitiStreet
What are your thoughts behind your provocative street art walls?
Bordalo II
It’s a way to express ideas and touch important points in public space so you can communicate with the society.
GraffitiStreet
You began with graffiti which can be described as an act of transgression and leaving your mark. Has the art of graffiti transferred over to your provocative art series?
Bordalo II
Not necessary, graffiti it’s another world, but probably graffiti it’s a school where you lose your “fears” to work illegal and to learn how to make quick paintings in hot spots.
GraffitiStreet
What do you see as the role of the street artist in society?
Bordalo II
Even if street art is free, and everybody can do whatever they want, I think that it should keep the critic spirit.
GraffitiStreet
What do you wish to achieve through your public messages?
Bordalo II
It’s a kind of anti-media, where an independent work pretends to tell the truth without interests.
GraffitiStreet
Does society think for its-self?
Bordalo II
In my opinion, not at all, because there are too many agents influencing our thoughts, feelings, etc. It’s a business world where the media, advertising, political campaigns looks works for objectives, so to let the people think by themselves would be dangerous and could boycott most of the interests behind the curtains.
GraffitiStreet
Do you see yourself as educating the public, informing them and raising consciousness?
Bordalo II
Well I’m not a teacher, or a God or whatever, but I want to contribute with something true and genuine, to give an option for those who want to see what’s hidden.
GraffitiStreet
Your mural raises awareness for the Angola youth activists and attracts attention to their illegal detention ...is it crucial for you to be able to humanize and raise awareness about people who are caught up in violent context?
Bordalo II
Sure yes, and violence is not only physical, it’s also psychological. Its a shame that “West countries” keep relationships with fake democracies just for interests. Angola it’s a dictatorship. It’s really sad that you can be in jail for thinking different.
GraffitiStreet
Do you feel that all artists have a responsibility to raise issues that will facilitate change?
Bordalo II
If artists will not do, who will?
It is cowardly to live in the shadows and pretend nothing is happening, making the money and smiling to the world as an useless vegetal.
GraffitiStreet
Tell me about some of your influences, artistic and others...
Bordalo II
Dran, Farewell, Vik Muniz, Banksy, Spy, Pawel Kuczynski, Mais Menos, and many more. I’m interested by strong messages translated in black humour, jokes, puns, and other efficient ways that will make you stop and think.
GraffitiStreet
The 'Behind the shiny stars' UE15 mural is politically-charged and especially powerful. Do you believe street art should provoke questions about authority, power, and representation?
Bordalo II
I hope so, it’s anti-propaganda.
“Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.”
Article 19, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
Bordalo II’s work demonstrates how public art can operate within that space of expression, using humour, provocation and visual disruption to communicate ideas that might otherwise remain unseen or unspoken. His interventions invite people to stop, question what they are looking at and reconsider the political and social structures embedded within everyday life.
UPDATE 2026: Bordalo II’s reflections on political expression and public responsibility provide an important foundation for the later Provoc and art-activism strand of his practice. Later interventions including Monoplizada in Lisbon and Sensitive Content in Paris reveal how that critical language has continued to evolve.
Photos courtesy of Bordalo II.