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Colombian artist Fernando Botero, playful depicter of serious subjects, dies at 91

Published

8 months ago

September 16, 2023

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Colombian artist Fernando Botero, playful depicter of serious subjects, dies at 91

Colombian artist Fernando Botero, whose sculptures and paintings of playful, rotund subjects in sometimes harrowing situations made him one of the world’s richest artists, has died at 91.

Heralded as South America’s answer to Picasso, Botero also tackled violence and political topics, including Colombia’s internal conflicts, as well as portraying daily life.

His works have featured in exhibitions across the world. His canvases and sculptures sell for more than $2 million each, according to Sotheby’s.

The artist’s bodacious subjects were portrayed in everyday situations – a corpulent naked woman lounging on a bed or a stout man riding a humorously out-sized horse – but served the artist’s more serious goal of transporting the reader to what he called a “superlative dimension”, where commonplace situations took on exaggerated proportions.

Despite the comic plumpness of many of his creations, the artist never shied away from serious subject matter – his series of paintings about the Abu Ghraib prison scandal generated discussion across the art world.

“Fernando Botero has died, the painter of our traditions and defects, the painter of our virtues. The painter of our violence and of peace,” Colombian President Gustavo Petro said on X, the social network formerly known as Twitter.

Although widely known for his large subjects, Botero insisted his pieces were not focused on body type.

“I don’t paint fat women,” the artist told Spain’s El Mundo newspaper in 2014, “no one believes me, but it’s true. What I do paint are volumes.”

Botero’s work sometimes focused on Colombia’s long-running internal conflict – he painted the aftermath of a car bomb and a group of party-goers menaced by men wielding automatic weapons and bloody machetes.

He also created tongue-in-cheek portraits of public figures, including Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebel group founder Manuel Marulanda.

It was his Abu Ghraib series which commanded global attention. The paintings, based on victim accounts and photos taken of the abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers, are explicit and harrowing.

The series was exhibited around the world, drawing tens of thousands of viewers. The New York Times said the paintings, while not masterpieces, “restore the prisoners’ dignity and humanity without diminishing their agony.”

Botero’s final decades as one of the world’s wealthiest artists were a far cry from his humble beginnings.

Fernando Botero Angulo, the son of a traveling salesman and a seamstress, was born on April 19, 1932 in Medellin, Colombia.

As an artist, Botero sought to make his work accessible, donating over 200 works to create the Botero Museum in Bogota, which is free and receives half a million visitors a year.

More than a hundred of the pieces were his own, while others were by masters including Picasso, Dali and Monet.

He gave another 150 works to a Medellin museum and 23 of his sculptures are installed outside in the Plaza Botero.

Botero is survived by his wife Sophia Vari, two sons and a daughter. Another son, aged 4, was killed in a car crash in 1974.

Even into his eighties, the artist painted for a minimum of eight hours a day.

“I want to die painting,” he told Colombia’s El Tiempo newspaper the year he turned 80.

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Netizens start blocking Alia Bhatt for keeping mum on Gaza crisis

Published

21 hours ago

May 16, 2024

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Netizens start blocking Alia Bhatt for keeping mum on Gaza crisis

The India actor is accused of not speaking out against genocide in Gaza.

Alia has seemingly landed on the ‘Blockout 2024’ list for not addressing the mounting criticism on the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

Alia Bhatt is in the headlines after her Met Gala 2024 appearance as she has been receiving hatred for keeping mum on the ongoing crisis in Palestine.

Bollywood actress, Alia Bhatt has been making the headlines for her stunning appearance at the Met Gala 2024.

The actress’ popularity has skyrocketed after her show-stopping appearance on the red carpet, with everyone talking about her surreal look.

However, now, Alia has seemingly landed on the ‘Blockout 2024’ list for not addressing the mounting criticism on the ongoing crisis in Gaza.

Like many other Hollywood celebrities, Alia Bhatt has allegedly been accused of keeping mum about the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
And now, her name has popped up in the ‘Blockout 2024’ movement, which has been going viral on TikTok.

For the unversed, netizens have started this phenomenon on social media, wherein they are ‘blocking’ celebrities who have been indifferent to the plight of the people of Palestine and Israel amidst the ongoing conflict.

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Entertainment

Why Inaya Khan does not bother reading comments of men followers on Instagram

Published

21 hours ago

May 16, 2024

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Why Inaya Khan does not bother reading comments of men followers on Instagram

Appearing on a podcast, showbiz star Inaya Khan has said she does not bother reading comments from male followers on her Instagram posts, because most of their messages pertain to marriage.

Inaya Khan revealed that despite having a significant number of male followers on Instagram, she only pays attention to comments from her female followers, with her cousins informing her about them.

Khan shared that she often receives messages from male followers claiming her as their wife, to which she humorously responded that she is currently single and content.

While marriage is not her current focus, Khan expressed her admiration for the saree, a clothing item her mother taught her to wear and manage.

In a previous appearance on the same show, Khan admitted to having crushes on A-list actors Mikaal Zulfiqar and Feroze Khan, particularly praising Zulfiqar’s personality and character traits.

Khan, known for her roles in dramas such as ‘Khoat’ and ‘Mere Apne’, detailed the qualities she desires in a life partner, emphasizing loyalty and a caring nature.

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Entertainment

Is Ayeza Khan retiring from showbiz?

Published

21 hours ago

May 16, 2024

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As the last episode of drama series ‘Jaan-e-Jahan’ is just around the corner, fans want to know about the future of Ayeza Khan who in a message on Instagram had said ‘Jaan-e-Jahan’ was her last project.

Ayeza Khan, celebrated for her stunning performances, has been a part of several hit dramas.

With a career spanning over a decade, Ayeza has charmed audiences with her acting prowess.

Currently, Ayeza is making headlines for her role in the popular drama series ‘Jaan-e-Jahan,’ where she stars alongside Hamza Ali Abbasi.

The show has garnered immense popularity, captivating viewers in both Pakistan and India. As many as 38 episodes have aired so far and the last episode is just around the corner.

However, amidst the drama’s success, fans are left wondering about Ayeza’s future projects.

Her Instagram story that she posted in November 2023, hinting at a possible departure from the industry, resurfaces.

In the said post, Ayeza referred to ‘Jaan-e-Jahan’ as her ‘last project,’ sparking rumours about her retirement from acting.

Ayeza Khan’s journey in the entertainment world began with her debut in ‘Tum Jo Miley’ in 2009.

However, it was her portrayal of ‘Farah Ibrahim’ in the 2013 drama ‘Pyarey Afzal, opposite acclaimed actor Hamza Ali Abbasi, that propelled her to fame.

As speculations regarding Ayeza’s future in the industry go viral, fans eagerly await confirmation about her next move. Whether ‘Jaan-e-Jahan’ marks the end of Ayeza Khan’s acting career or simply a pause in her journey remains to be seen. Only time will tell.

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