Plastic Mountain Lion
Bordalo II · One San Jacinto Plaza, El Paso, Texas, USA · 2022
Photo from the Street Art Utopia archive (SAU media #45576; WAU media #10964). Artwork: Bordalo II.
Portuguese artist Bordalo II built this 64-foot mountain lion out of recycled trash on the west wall of the One San Jacinto Plaza building in downtown El Paso in August 2022. It belongs to his Big Trash Animals series and is reported as the first of its kind in Texas. Local students helped, and the Paso del Norte Community Foundation’s Green Hope Project led the effort. Source Source Source Checked
Seen June 2024: logged with photographs on Street Art Cities on 9 June 2024 at Franklin Avenue and North Mesa Street, the newest dated sighting we found. Source Checked
4 things to know
- Three days on the wallBordalo II and two assistants installed the mountain lion on 18–20 August 2022, according to El Paso Inc. Source Checked
- Made from local wasteThe materials include dismantled jungle gym sets, slides, tires, pieces of recycle bins and other local plastic waste, El Paso Inc. reports. Source Checked
- An at-risk local animalStreet Art Cities says the work honours the mountain lion, an at-risk animal tied to West Texas identity, and that El Dorado High School students helped. Source Reported
- A community projectThe Paso del Norte Community Foundation credits its Green Hope Project, Franklin Mountain Investments and the Downtown Management District among the partners. Source Checked
Where it is
On the west wall of the One San Jacinto Plaza building, at North Mesa Street and Franklin Avenue (484 N Mesa St), downtown El Paso, Texas, United States. Source Source Checked
Sightings
- 202219 Aug
Mural completed on One San Jacinto Plaza · KFOX14
- 202221 Aug
Unveiled above Mesa and Franklin · 915 Noticias
- 202226 Aug
Installation story with photos · El Paso Inc.
- 202231 Aug
Completion noted by the Paso del Norte Community Foundation
- 20249 Jun
Logged at Franklin Ave & N Mesa St · Street Art Cities
Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports. Publication dates are not camera dates.
In the sources
Portuguese artist crafts trash into 64-foot mountain lion mural in Downtown El Paso
“I want people to take a deeper look into the material we are using and the animals that we are creating.”
Bordalo II on why he builds animals from waste.
Mountain lion mural made of recycled trash to be displayed on Downtown El Paso One San Jacinto Plaza building
“We are destroying the world the habitat of the animals, we are also animals”
The artist on the destruction of animal habitats.
Artista português Bordalo II cria puma com 19,5 metros de altura no Texas
“criou recentemente uma instalação com 19,5 metros de altura na parede de um edifício na baixa de El Paso”
Recently created a 19.5-metre installation on a downtown El Paso wall.
The facts
Related
- You Made That Out of What? (10 Photos) — Street Art Utopia
- Bordalo II Builds Animals From Trash (30 Photos) — Street Art Utopia
- All Artwork Files
All sources & image credits
- El Paso Inc.: Portuguese artist crafts trash into 64-foot mountain lion mural in Downtown El Paso (26 August 2022)
- KFOX14: Mountain lion mural made of recycled trash to be displayed on Downtown El Paso One San Jacinto Plaza building (19 August 2022)
- Paso del Norte Community Foundation: Trash into Treasure (31 August 2022)
- 915 Noticias: Tiene EP mural del famoso ambientalista Bordalo Segundo (21 August 2022)
- Postal: Artista português Bordalo II cria puma com 19,5 metros de altura no Texas (24 August 2022)
- Street Art Cities: Mountain Lion by Bordalo II (logged 9 June 2024)
- Visit El Paso: Plastic Mountain Lion (Franklin the Mountain Lion)
- Hero image: Street Art Utopia archive (SAU media #45576; WAU media #10964). Artwork by Bordalo II.
Artwork File · Last checked 8 November 2026 · Certainty labels follow How We Verify Art · All Artwork Files