Fernando Botero’s Voluptuous Sculptures Take Over Rome’s Historic Center

Nearly one year after Fernando Botero's death, his sculptures are visible in Italy. His daughter Lina organized an open-air exhibition, which sees eight of the Colombian artist's sculptures placed in some of Rome's most picturesque public squares. Known for his unique style that plays with volume, his voluptuous sculptures remain on view until October.

Botero a Roma only solidifies the relationship between the artist and Italy, whose relatives emigrated to Colombia at the end of the 18th century. The artist himself first visited Italy in the 1950s after winning an art competition and, in the 1980s, established a workshop in Tuscany, where he spent several months a year.

“Rome, the Eternal City: I can't think of anything that would make my father—Fernando Botero—happier than to see his monumental sculpture on display in the heart of this extraordinary city, the capital of the country he loved and that influenced his work,” stated Lina during the opening of the exhibition.

“For all intents and purposes, Italy was his second home, not only for his admiration for its art but also for the love he felt for a place he considered his homeland.”

The sculptures on show range from his curvaceous depictions of women to monumental animals with soft, round edges. Visible until October 1, they will be complemented by an exhibition of his paintings set to open in Rome on September 17. Also curated by Lina, the retrospective will feature his paintings, watercolors, and several sculptures.

Eight sculptures by Colombian artist Fernando Botero are on display in some of Rome's most picturesque public squares.

 

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Curated by the artist's daughter, the exhibition highlights Botero's deep connection with Italy.

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Jessica Stewart

Jessica Stewart is a Staff Editor and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Since 2020, she is also one of the co-hosts of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. She earned her MA in Renaissance Studies from University College London and now lives in Rome, Italy. She cultivated expertise in street art which led to the purchase of her photographic archive by the Treccani Italian Encyclopedia in 2014. When she’s not spending time with her three dogs, she also manages the studio of a successful street artist. In 2013, she authored the book "Street Art Stories Roma" and most recently contributed to "Crossroads: A Glimpse Into the Life of Alice Pasquini." You can follow her adventures online at @romephotoblog.
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