Remembering Colombian Artist Fernando Botero

Americas Society is saddened to learn of the passing of Colombian artist Fernando Botero.

"We are grateful for Botero's generosity to Americas Society," said President and CEO Susan Segal. "Not only did he donate his art to us, but he also trusted us to collaborate on several events. We will always remember him as an amazing artist and an esteemed friend." 

Botero was born in Medellín and became world famous for his artwork, which explored Colombian history and depicted famously plump figures. He was quoted in an interview as having said, "The pleasure of painting is pleasure in itself."

The painter and sculptor's extraordinary career involved a long history with our institution. In the spring of 1969, he presented his first solo exhibition in New York at Americas Society's art gallery. The exhibition included oil paintings, charcoal drawings, and pastels.

Americas Society honored him in 1988 at a dinner attended by AS/COA Founder David Rockefeller and Ambassador George W. Landau, former AS/COA president. 

Botero and his wife Sophia in October 2013 also joined us for the launch of his book Circus: Paintings and Works on Paper, which was inspired by a traveling circus he encountered in a Mexican town on the Pacific coast. “An artist has convictions. Then, once you have convictions you have an identity, you produce something that is marked by this conviction,” he said at the event. Watch the video of that program.