'Half Rabbit'

On one of the many buildings peppering the quiet and winding streets of Gaia, Portugal, is a massive rabbit sculpture made from recycled materials and trash collected from the city.

The sculpture, which was brought to life by Portuguese artist Bordallo II (who often creates animal art using repurposed materials), serves as a subtle yet scathing critique of society’s wastefulness and its consequences for the natural environment. The art piece is also a call for increased social awareness of ecological sustainability.

The sculpture is positioned on the building in such a way that the rabbit is seemingly folded in two, with one half being multicolored and the other unpainted, which serves to illustrate the materials’ original colors. It is for these reasons that the artwork is called the “Half Rabbit.” Metal pieces, street signs, and plastic containers are just some of the materials used to create the rabbit’s eyes, ears, and whiskers.