Botero in Rome: the widespread exhibition of the Colombian artist

The Capital is transformed into an open-air museum in honor of Fernando Boterothe acclaimed Colombian artist, who passed away on September 15th last year in Munich at the age of 91. Until October 1st, a widespread exhibition celebrates his genius through eight monumental outdoor sculptures, and scattered in six symbolic places in the heart of Rome, offering a tangible tribute to the master of hypertrophic and bloated figures.

Organized by the Fernando Botero Foundationin synergy with The Swan GG Editions, Bam! Art Events with The Swan Art and curated by the author’s daughter, Linathe expo Botero in Rome represents a fundamental step in valorizing the legacy of one of the most influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.

From next September 17th to January 19th 2025furthermore, the rooms of Palazzo Bonaparte will host the first posthumous retrospective dedicated to him and created by Arthemisia: paintings and sculptural masterpieces will alternate with his reinterpretations of Piero della Francesca’s paintingsRaphael and the Flemish Peter Paul Rubensuntil The Little Men (“The Bridesmaids”), iconic oil on canvas signed by the Andalusian Diego Velazquez.

«Fernando Botero’s work is a permanent celebration of life“, explains Lina Boterowho adds «For my father, art had to produce pleasure, becoming an oasis of joy. The greatest gift for him was to see the smile on the faces of those who appreciated his work.».

The open-air exhibition not only pays homage to Botero, but also reintegrates his works into the urban context, allowing residents and tourists to enjoy a unique experience. The route begins on the scenic Pincio terrace, overlooking Piazza del Popolo, and winds along the nerve centers of the historic center of the Eternal City in an unprecedented dialogue between sculptural works and metropolitan space. The sculptures, with their generous, “curvy” forms and deliberately exaggerated proportions, rise majestically in the city views, creating an ideal and fascinating bridge with the Capitoline architecture.

Each sculpture becomes a focal point, inviting passersby to stop, observe and reflect on the beauty and the joy of living that art can also give in everyday life. The «artist’s walk»from the Pincio to Piazza Mignanelli, passing through San Lorenzo in Lucina and Piazza San Silvestro, pushes spectators to explore the city in a new light in a visual and emotional journey.

Between irony and feminine sensuality, you can admire Seated Women, Cat, Reclining Woman, Venus Sleeping, Horse with bridles, Standing Man (“Adam”) and Standing Woman (“Eva”). Each of the eight strategically positioned maxi-sculptures reveals an innovative perspective on the city and, at the same time, is a tribute to the revolutionary vision of the master.

The exhibition promenade also aims to make art accessible to all, integrating it into the architectural fabric and giving it back to the community. Through his monumental works, the sculptor and painter born in Medellín, Colombia, continues to inspire new generations with original moments of lightheartedness, creativity and reflection. A project, the Roman one, that retraces the immense career and aesthetic philosophy of the talented creative, underlining the ability to transform public areas through deep connections with people and ordinary people in a perspective of democratization of the very concept of artistic production.

A reminder to discover, scrutinize and smile, just as Fernando Botero would have wanted, who claimed: «I believe that art should give man moments of happiness, a refuge of extraordinary existence, parallel to the daily one, a spiritual and immaterial truce from the difficulties of life».