A participatory public art process in Almada: Agents and values

Abstract

The impact of public art on the territory has an undeniable cultural dimension since it creates new sensorial and visual agents, with potential social interactivity. In this paper we present and discuss a Portuguese case-study of participated public art, developed for the Caparica Civic Centre (Almada, Portugal) by a team that includes artists (sculptors), anthropologists, local associations and inhabitants. The territory and the community were the main pillars for the conception of a three piece monument, built in a multicultural neighborhood, through a progressive and interactive working methodology, between 2011 and 2013.