Artist Bordalo II Protests Lisbon's Housing Crisis with 'For Sale' Sign in Praça do Comércio
A large banner declaring “Lisbon For Sale” was installed in the city’s landmark Praça do Comércio this morning, the latest public intervention by artist Bordalo II targeting Portugal’s housing crisis. The piece, designed to mimic a real estate advertisement, appeared in one of Lisbon’s most visible and tourist-heavy locations, representing a direct criticism of government housing policy and the effects of real estate speculation on the local population. The artist, aged 38, shared images of the installation on his social media channels, continuing his campaign of using art to provoke debate on pressing social issues. This action follows a series of similar high-profile protests, including a giant Monopoly board in Cais do Sodré in May, which highlighted the precarity of housing access. “The right to housing, present in the Constitution, is now at the mercy of luck or of azar,” the artist wrote in a statement accompanying that piece, titled “Provoc”.
The political context for these artistic interventions is the widespread public perception that housing policy has increasingly favored foreign investment over local needs. Programs such as the Golden Visa (Visto Gold) and incentives for digital nomads are frequently cited by critics as key drivers of the sharp increase in property prices, which have pushed many Portuguese residents out of central Lisbon. In a 2023 installation named “Desalojamento Local” (Local Eviction), Bordalo II set up tents painted to look like houses at the São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint, a prime city location. A sign accompanying the tents read, “Except tourists, digital nomads and vistos gold,” a message that directly questioned the government's priorities and the social consequences of its policies. “I don't criticize tourists, foreigners, and much less immigrants, but rather the lack of measures that can balance the scales and stop expelling the people who actually live in the cities, transforming them into giant soulless amusement parks,” Bordalo II explained at the time.
The response from municipal authorities to these unauthorized installations has been swift. Following the “Provoc” installation, the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa ordered its immediate removal, with a spokesperson telling the newspaper Observador that the work constituted “an unauthorized installation” and “an attack on the city's heritage” due to damage caused to the historic Portuguese pavement. This official reaction underscores the tension between the city’s administration, which is tasked with managing public space and heritage, and activists who feel that conventional channels for political expression have been insufficient to address the housing emergency. The debate touches on fundamental questions about the city's identity, economic model, and social fabric. While foreign investment has been officially encouraged as a means of economic recovery and urban regeneration, the social cost has become a central and contentious political issue. The artist’s continued focus on the topic ensures that the housing crisis remains a highly visible part of the public discourse, pressuring officials to find a more sustainable equilibrium between attracting foreign capital and ensuring the right to housing for its citizens. Understand policy impacts on your Portugal property plans at realestate-lisbon.com.
