Collective Perception of Art: Militant Art and Art in the Subway

The São Paulo subway system consists of 64 stations and is used by 4.4 million people per day. Since the mid-1970s, works of art have been installed in 37 of these stations. When Sé Square was redeveloped to build the Sé subway station, the city of São Paulo installed a collection of sculptures by renowned Brazilian artists or artists living in Brazil in the gardens of the new square. This sparked a debate about the advisability of installing works of art in São Paulo subway stations, as is the case in subways of other countries. Today, there are 91 works of art currently installed in 37 stations of the São Paulo subway. How are these works integrated into the perception of the more than 4 million users of this transportation system? What is the role of this art displayed in places with high traffic? Artists such as Franz Krajberg and Joseph Beuys dedicated their lives to produce art in defense of the environment. Recently, muralist Cadumen had his installation “Cachoeira” (Waterfall) approved for display at the São Bento metro station. This installation/protest demands that we look to our next destiny, which is related to the destiny of nature and the environment. We intend to address the characteristics of these productions and discuss the impact they may have on the public that interacts with them.