Botero is probably Columbia's greatest living artist, and he was born right here in very humble circumstances.
His father died when he was four and he was raised by his mother, a seamstress, with help from his uncle. But he pulled himself up by his bootstraps and is now an internationally renowned artist and a very rich man.
He celebrates his 80th birthday this year.
He lives in Paris, but reportedly returns to Medellin for one month every year.
His art is unmistakable. He paints and sculpts fat people and fat animals, mostly.
He doesn't know why ("The artist is attracted to certain kinds of forms without knowing why.")
If he was from the U.S. where about 1/3 of the population does not look that much different from a Botero figure, I could understand this. But Colombia doesn't have much of an obesity problem.
I guess we can take him at his word.
The Plazoleta de Esculturas in the center of Medellin has 20 sculptures by Botero.
go about 6 or 7 blocks towards the avenida oriental and in a small park (not too small) you'll see two other botero's. Sadly they are a reminder of the worst in colombia. They are of a bird, the one a dublicate of the other yet completely different. On a lighter note CONTADUROS the black ladies sell them on a street corner nor too far away. Great fotos!
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