Abstract
The text presents the first results of a study conducted in Brazil about the construction of a monument that represents a Catholic saint. The analysis is developed in two planes. One focuses on discourses that constitute something as “public”. The other focuses on spatial dimensions: how material features influence configurations of public spaces. Each theoretical exploration corresponds to an analysis of certain facets of the monument, which are respectively related to the debates that it has triggered and the architectural solutions generated. The articulation between these two dimensions is inspired by thematizations and debates about what is public art. The aim is to contribute to the theoretical discussion and the empirical analysis of situations involving the presence of religion in public spaces.
Keywords:
monuments; secularism; space; public sphere