The Transformation of Trash into Art

While touring João’s studio, I came across a familiar piece—one I had seen before—but something about it had changed. This time, a bold red bottle stood out sharply against the rough, textured sketch of tree bark. It hadn’t been there before.

“Walking is part of my process,” João explains. “It’s a way for me to think and create. One day I was walking from my house to the studio, and I saw something that really upset me—someone had stuck a plastic bottle into a tree. I hate seeing trash in nature.”

Instead of discarding it, João brought the bottle into his studio and placed it directly into the work. “It’s the same bottle,” he says. “I want to criticize the people who do these kinds of things, but there’s also something powerful about using the actual object I found. It creates a connection between the environment and the artwork.”

A contrast in materials

“The natural elements should be made of nature,” João says. “I don’t want to use synthetics or acrylics when painting things like trees or soil. For those, I use charcoal—or even the earth itself, because there’s a relationship between the substance and the theme. It doesn’t make sense for me to paint something natural with acrylic.”

In contrast, the plastic bottle is man-made. “So that’s why I painted it in red acrylic,” he explains. “It makes sense that way. I painted it—to emphasize that contrast.”

Inspriation from frustration

Originally, the red bottle wasn’t part of the piece. What began as an ordinary walk—a daily routine for João—unexpectedly shifted the direction of his work.

This moment of discovery highlights the fluidity of João’s creative process. His art doesn’t follow a set path; it evolves naturally, shaped by the unexpected moments that arise throughout his day. The frustration sparked by encounters like the discarded bottle in the tree doesn’t fade—it becomes fuel for his creativity, sparking new ideas and giving his work urgency and purpose. Like his walks, João’s art is open to change, always in motion, and driven by his connection to the world around him.

João is eager to continue this series, seeking discarded objects that spark new directions. However, he emphasizes that the connection between the found trash and the artwork must always feel natural. For him, it’s not about repurposing waste—it’s about capturing the essence of something unexpected and letting the art evolve in an authentic, meaningful way.

Part Two: A Connection to the Earth