Fernando Botero exhibition - National Museum of Contemporary Art, Deoksu Palace, Seoul til Sept 17, 2009

What: Exhibition of Colombian artist Fernando Botero's paintings and sculptures

Where: National Museum of Contemporary Art, Deoksu Palace, Seoul.

Description:

Born 1932 in Medellin, Botero gained fame for his distinctive and vivid artworks portraying Latin American life, and is widely considered one of the living masters of modern art.
On display inside the museum are 89 paintings from Botero's personal collection. Three large bronze sculptures, "Cat," "Seated Woman," and "Reclining Woman" can be found around the Deoksu Palace grounds.

Divided into seven sections, the exhibition shows the diversity and depth of Botero's works throughout the decades, from still lifes to his latest "Circus" series.

Famous paintings by masters like Rubens, Velasquez, Cezanne, and Picasso are given a Botero-esque twist. Botero reinterpreted famous pieces like Goya's "Duchess of Osuna,'' Rubens' "Peter Rubens and Isabella Brandt,'' and Velasquez' "Infanta Margarita Teresa of Spain in White Dress.''

His works depicting Latin American people, culture and everyday life are dripping with affection and warmth. Many of the paintings are based on Botero's memories of growing up in Colombia, hence the scenes of families at home, dancing, bull fighting, and streets and landscapes with Spanish colonial era structures.

Admission is 10,000 won for adults to 4,000 won for children. The museum is closed on Mondays. To get there, get off at City Hall station, line 1 or 2, exit 1 or 2. Call (02) 368-1414 or visit http://botero.moca.go.kr.

To complement the Botero exhibition, a series of lectures on Latin American art, literature and music will be held at 6:30 p.m., July 16, 23 and 30 and Aug. 6, 13 and 20 at Heungkuk Life Insurance building, Gwanghwamun. Latin American films such as "Motorcycle Diaries," "Buena Vista Social Club," "City of God," and "Pan's Labyrinth" will be screened at Cine Cube, Aug. 6-12. Visit www.cineart.co.kr.