Pesebre y Arte Contemporáneo. Los Pesebres de la Plaça de Sant Jaume de Barcelona

In Barcelona, we are witnessing what can be considered a new Christmas tradition, the inauguration of the nativity scene in Plaça de Sant Jaume. Since 2004, the nativity scene installed in this emblematic square has been considered a "controversial nativity scene" by the media. They are nativity scenes that escape from classical aesthetics by adopting elements typical of contemporary art. This article proposes an analysis of the connection between nativity scenes and contemporary art based on the proposals made since 1992 in the city of Olot, with emphasis on the nativity scenes in the Plaça de Sant Jaume in Barcelona. Based on participant observation and documentary analysis, we conclude that the proposal of contemporary nativity scenes is framed in the evolution of society and especially in the forms that the expression of popular religiosity can take in the public space. These proposals, in turn, change the way of making nativity scenes that are typical of classic associative groups.