On Modernity and Figuration: Approaching Oscar Niemeyer’s City Museum in Brasilia through Marcel Gautherot’s Photographs

Abstract

This article focuses on the relationship between the figurative sculptures of José Pedrosa and the modern architecture of Oscar Niemeyer at the City Museum (Brasilia, 1958-1960), as seen in the photographs of the new building shot by Marcel Gautherot in 1960. It aims to highlight a particular usage of sculpture in relation to architecture that some have considered to be a failure and others to be anachronistic, arguing that it has played a central role in Brasilia’s experience as a modern city.