World Art Utopia

Salamander

Bordalo II's Salamander in Águeda: a giant black and orange salamander built from car parts and plastic waste, lying on a painted turquoise pond on a paved square, with a person photographing it.
Artwork FileÁgueda, Portugal

Salamander

Gone2016

Bordalo II · 2015 · Águeda

Artwork by Bordalo II. Image from Street Art Utopia; photographer and camera date unconfirmed.

Salamander is a giant amphibian that Portuguese artist Bordalo II built from trash and car parts for the AgitÁgueda festival in July 2015. It stood in Praça do Município, the town hall square of Águeda. A local blog reported in February 2016 that the piece, meant to stay four months, had stayed almost seven and was being taken apart. Source Source Source Reported

Gone 2016 — evidence dated 2016-02-03. A local blog reported on 3 February 2016 that the piece, meant to stay four months, had stayed almost seven and was being taken away. Source Reported

💡 4 things to know

  1. Made from three carsAccording to a local blog, the body was built from three cars, several tyres and plastic cans. Source Reported
  2. A festival pieceBordalo II made it in July 2015 for AgitÁgueda, curated by Mistaker Maker. Source Reported
  3. On the town hall squareÁgueda’s council lists the piece “Salamandra” in Praça do Município. Source Reported
  4. Stayed longer than plannedThe same blog says it was meant to be shown for 4 months but stayed almost 7. Source Reported

📍 Where it is

Praça do Município, the town hall square of Águeda, Portugal. Reported removed in early 2016. Source Source Reported

Open in Maps

🗓️ Sightings

  1. 201515 Jul

    Built for AgitÁgueda · StreetArtNews

  2. 201516 Jul

    Featured by designboom

  3. 201528 Jul

    Council: “Salamandra” in Praça do Município

  4. 20163 Feb

    Local blog: the trash art goes back to the trash

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports; red stamps mark loss. Publication dates are not camera dates.

🗞️ In the sources

designboom16 July 2015

“‘salamander’ is a giant amphibian made from mechanical parts and mixed media”

Read the source →

Câmara Municipal de Águeda28 July 2015

Grande AgitÁgueda termina em apoteose

“a peça “Salamandra”, situada na Praça do Município. Esta obra, da autoria de Bordalo II”

The piece “Salamander”, in the town hall square. This work, by Bordalo II…

Read the source →

✅ The facts

Artist
Bordalo II (Artur Bordalo, b. 1987) Source Checked
Title
Salamandra (as the council names it) Source Checked
Year
2015 (July) Source Checked
Festival
AgitÁgueda 2015, curated by Mistaker Maker Source Checked
Materials
Mechanical parts and mixed media Source Checked
Location
Praça do Município, Águeda Source Checked
Status
Reported removed in early 2016 (local blog) Source Reported

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

Last checked: 29 October 2026. How we verify art