The painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, whose voluminous figures became a symbol of Colombian art, traveled the world and fetched millions of dollars at auction, died Friday. He was 91 years old. Politicians and celebrities have said goodbye to him, including Paloma Cuevas, friend of Luis Miguel, who posted a heartbreaking message on her Instagram account.
The death was confirmed by his daughter Lina Botero, who told Caracol Radio that her father He died on Friday morning in Monaco as a result of pneumonia. Botero portrayed politicians, animals, saints and scenes from his childhood in a vibrant, colorful way that was instantly recognizable. Over the course of his life, the artist achieved worldwide fame and influence and his paintings have been exhibited in museums around the world, while his imposing sculptures can be found in European and Latin American squares and parks.
What did Paloma Cuevas, Luis Miguel’s girlfriend, say about Boter?
Paloma Cuevas, 51 years old and born in Spain, said goodbye to the artist with the following message: “Thank you, Maestro, for everything, for so much love.” It was a blessing to meet him, to share so many unforgettable moments, his to feel endearing friendship, to be part of the infinite love that he expressed to his wonderful family… His absence will be as great in our hearts as his artistic legacy. Rest in peace, master, genius and unique and unrepeatable person.“.
Botero’s art is appreciated by many because it evokes nostalgia for the country at the beginning of the 20th century. His characters wear bowler hats and carefully trimmed mustaches. You move in a colorful universe of green hills and deciduous trees, where houses are made of mud bricks.
Who was Fernando Botero?
Botero was born on April 19, 1932 in Medellín, Colombia’s second most important city. In the 1970s he put painting aside and began experimenting with sculpture, which brought him great success. The materials most commonly used by the artist for his three-dimensional figures were bronze, marble and cast resin. In 1978 he returned to painting and has alternated between both disciplines ever since.
In his work he also dealt with political issues such as the death of drug trafficker Pablo Escobar. or the emergence of rebel groups. In 2005, he created a series of 79 paintings depicting American soldiers torturing Iraqis at the notorious Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, just a year after the incident came to light. The artist fought to have the paintings displayed in museums across the United States, and they were eventually presented at the University of California, Berkeley, where some of them are still on display today.
