Fernando Botero at Art SG: Sculptures and Paintings in Singapore
Singapore has become one of the world’s most compelling hubs for international art engagement. During the cultural moment surrounding Art SG Singapor
06 January, 2026
Bronze
85 in height x 36 3/4 in diameter
Oil on canvas
32 5/8 x 39 3/8 in
Bronze
34 5/8 x 19 3/4 x 15 in
Pencil and crayon on paper
5 x 11 in
Oil on canvas
29 7/8 x 25 1/4 in
Fernando Botero was a renowned Colombian painter and sculptor, known for his volumetric stylization of figures and objects. His work encompasses themes such as everyday life in Colombia, artistic historical references and abuses of power, all unified by his exaggeratedly rotund figures. This stylization, known as “Boterism”.
He was born in Medellín on April 19, 1932, the second of three children of David Botero Mejía and Flora Angulo de Botero. From an early age, he was influenced by the baroque style of colonial churches. He began his primary education at the Ateneo Antioqueño and continued his secondary education at the Bolivar School.
Driven by his family, Botero developed a deep appreciation for bullfighting since childhood, which led him to explore drawing.
At the age of 16, he got his first job as an illustrator for the newspaper El Colombiano. After finishing high school in Medellín, he moved to Bogotá in 1951. There, he held his first individual exhibition of watercolors, gouaches, inks and oils. His first works of portraits and landscapes showed a very loose brushstroke.
In the early 1960s, Botero settled in New York, where his paintings were very successful in the U.S. art market.
In 1952, he won second prize at the IX National Artists’ Salon with the painting “Frente al mar”. Subsequently, he traveled to Europe to continue his artistic training, residing for approximately four years in cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Paris and Florence.
Between 1961 and 1973, he took up residence in New York. He would later live in Paris, alternating his stay in the French capital with extended periods in Pietrasanta and his estate in the Cundinamarca town of Tabio. Around 1964, Botero ventured for the first time into the field of sculpture.
For several decades, Botero was one of the most important living artists internationally. After seven decades of artistic career, he became the most recognized living artist in the world, the most published, with the largest number of institutional and museum exhibitions, as well as the most expensive and most transacted living Latin American artist.
From his work emerges an artistic movement, Boterism, which consists of distorting dimensions and working with large volumes.
Fernando Botero passed away on September 15, 2023 at his home in Monaco.
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One of Fernando Botero’s most famous artworks is The Death of Pablo Escobar, though his reinterpretation of Mona Lisa, Age Twelve is also widely known. These iconic paintings exemplify the Colombian painter Botero’s bold style and social commentary.
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Some Botero artworks have sparked controversy due to their depiction of violence, torture, and political critique, especially his Abu Ghraib series. These pieces highlight the Colombian artist Botero’s commitment to denouncing injustice through art.
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Botero was expelled from a Jesuit school for publishing an article deemed controversial. This early rebellion reflects the artist’s lifelong tendency to challenge norms, a trait visible in many Botero artworks.
Fernando Botero left an mark on the history of art through his unique and instantly recognizable style, Boterismo. Deeply rooted in Latin American identity, his work brought global attention to Colombian art, challenged traditional notions of beauty and power, and made art more accessible through public sculptures and major donations to national museums. Botero's legacy lives on as a celebration of form, satire, and the enduring voice of Latin America in the global art world.
Fernando Botero traveled to Mexico to study muralism and explore Mexican art traditions. This experience deeply influenced his technique and artistic voice as a modern Latin American artist.
Fernando Botero was married three times. His personal life often influenced his artwork, and his partners played significant roles in his creative and professional journey.
Botero often referred to himself simply as a “painter of volume.” Rather than seeing his style as caricature, the artist emphasized form, sensuality, and expression in every artwork.
Botero painted Dancing in Colombia to portray the joy of Colombian culture. The painting reflects the artist’s love for his country and his commitment to representing Latin American life.
