3.10.09

BOWERS MUSEUM PRESENTS THE BAROQUE WORLD OF FERNANDO BOTERO


FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS, WORLD-RENOWNED ARTIST FERNANDO BOTERO UNVEILS A EXHIBITION I CALIFORNIA WHEN 'THE BAROQUE WORLD OF FERNANDO BOTERO' RECENTLY OPENED AT BOWERS MUSEUM, SANTA ANA. THE EXHIBITION, WHICH REMAINS ON VIEW THROUGH 6.DECEMBER.2009, IN THE JANICE FEY SMITH AND ROBERT GUMBINER GALLERIES, INCLUDES A SELECTION OF RECENT SCULPTURES NEVER BEFORE SHOWN IN NORTH AMERICA. RECOGNIZED WORLDWIDE FOR HIS UNIQUE STYLE OF VOLUMINOUS FORMS AND SENSUOUS FIGURES, BOTERO'S WORK TAKES ON RELIGION, POLITICS, AND HISTORY WITH A CRITICAL AND COMICAL APPROACH. THE EXHIBITION FEATURES 100 PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES AND DRAWINGS, DATING FROM THE 1950s TO THE PRESENT, OF BOTERO'S FAVORITE WORKS AS WELL AS PIECES HE REACQUIRED YEARS AFTER THEY LEFT HIS POSSESSION. ALL THE WORKS ARE GENEROUSLY ON LOAN FROM THE 77 YEAR OLD COLOMBIAN ARTIST'S PERSONAL COLLECTION AND MANY HAVE NEVER BEFORE BEEN SEEN IN PUBLIC.
AS A PAINTER, SCULPTOR AND DRAFTSMAN BOTERO (b. 1932) DEPICTS THE COMEDY AND TRAGEDY OF HUMAN LIFE IN MOVING EXPRESSION, MOCKING OBSERVATION, AND SOMETIMES DEEP, ELEMENTARY EMOTION. WORKING IN A BROAD RANGE OF MEDIA, BOTERO HAS CREATED A WORLD OF HIS OWN, AT ONCE ACCESSIBLE AND ENIGMATIC, WITH A PARTICULAR BLEND OF VIOLENCE, SERENITY AND BEAUTY. BOTERO'S ROOTS ARE IN MEDELLIN, A COLOMBIAN TOWN CLOSE TO THE ANDES MOUNTAINS. THERE HE DREW UPON HIS FIRST IMAGES OF THE SPANISH COLONIAL BAROQUE-STYLE, A MOVEMENT OF EXTRAVAGANT RICHNESS, FEATURING SUMPTUOUS DECORATIONS THAT FLOURISHED ON THE WALLS OF EVERY CHURCH IN SOUTH AMERICA.

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