Between tributes and painting watercolors, the painter Fernando Botero celebrates 90 years of life

The Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, one of the most important artists of the 20th century, will celebrate this Tuesday, April 19, his 90th year of life painting watercolors in the company of his family in Pietrasanta, Italy. For its part, the Museum of Antioquia will have a special cultural agenda to pay tribute to the artist from Medellín.

Fernando Botero Angulo is the second of three children in the marriage of David Botero Mejía and Flora Angulo Jaramillo, who was born on April 19, 1932, in Medellín. For approximately 75 years the world has been able to enjoy and learn about Botero's art, since his works are found in different parts of the world.

Given the above, Bogotá is the city with the most works in a museum, since in 1998 Botero donated 123 works of his own and 87 works by international artists to the Banco de la República de Colombia, which formed the Botero Museum. And in his hometown there are 23 sculptures, which are exhibited in “La Plaza Botero”.

These are some of Botero's most representative paintings: “Ecce Homo”, “Head of Christ”, “Mona Lisa at 12 years old”, “La colombiana”, “Country Concert”, “Musicians Collection”, “Woman in front of the mirror”, “La carta”, “Celestina”, “La noche” and “Walk the hill”. And among the most outstanding sculptures are: “The Hand”, “Torso”, “The Bird”, “The Lady”, “The Ballerina Asquadra”, “The Roman Soldier”, “Cat Collection”, “The Couple”, “The Maternity”, “The Horse” and “The Guitar”.

On the other hand, from Medellín, several cultural activities will be held for three days in which tribute will be paid to Fernando Botero. The Antioquia Museum is in charge of this program, which is composed of concerts, documentary presentations, sculpture workshops, among other things.

According to the press release issued by the Ministry of Culture of Medellín, Botero is “an artist who has told the history of the city from the streets of the Boston neighborhood where he lived, that city that lived the harsh era of violence. We will pay homage to his life, to his artistic intervention, to his work that tells the story of that Medellín of the 70's, 80's and 90's and how he himself always believed in the city and bet him on an educational and cultural transformation through art”.

Jorge Mario Álvarez, producer of the documentary Botero: engraved by fire in memory, will be part of the Cu4tro.creo discussion, in which Ana Piedad Jaramillo, director of Book Events and former director of the Museum of Antioquia, will also participate.

On this, Álvarez commented that: “I am pleased to be part of this activity on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of Maestro Botero. It must be a joyful, wonderful celebration, because the teacher has been very generous to Colombia. He has donated amounts of his works to both Medellin and Bogotá. Through the documentary we are going to know him as the simple man, from Antioquia, who tells stories, who is still the paisa, the good country, despite being an international star”.

This tribute, which begins today, April 19, at 5:30pm, will have free access and will be broadcast through Telemedellín and Minuto 30. In addition, this activity will have 3 thematic axes: the life and work of Fernando Botero: the historical moment of the works “Wounded Bird” and “The Bird of Peace”; and the unpublished documentary: “Botero: burned by fire in memory”.

Likewise, in the Pedregal Open Air Theater, the Pedregal Culture House and the Maestro Fernando Botero Educational Institution there will be other activities.

For its part, the Teatro al Open-Air El Pedregal, will be held the discussion: “Life and work of Fernando Botero”, which will be led by the historian and student of the work of maestro David Herrera, who will talk with the students of the Maestro Fernando Botero Educational Institution.

And finally, on 20 and 21 April there will be clay sculpture workshops, as well as the exhibition “Recreating the work of Fernando Botero”, held by students of the institution and which will be held from today until May 22 in the exhibition hall of the Casa de la Cultura Pedregal.

Keep reading: