Vivências na cidade: o Portal da memória

Abstract

The Portal of Memory is a monument honoring the traditions and Afro-descendant peoples living in the city. It establishes a connection with the Rainha do Mar sculpture, creating a dialogue with the landscape at a point in Pampulha known as Praça de Iemanjá. Inaugurated in 2007, the work by artist Jorge dos Anjos invites reflection on art and its social relationships. In this text, we explore some of the many layers this monument brings to Belo Horizonte: its connection to the Rainha do Mar sculpture, the Pampulha Lagoon, the Modern Cultural Landscape, the Iemanjá Festivals, the artist’s construction process, its sensitive geometry, and the interpretations of the symbols represented in the portal. These analyses help to understand the work not only for its visual value but also for what it symbolizes in the field of cultural heritage.