Botero strikes

[oddist]

Botero's new work divides art world...

http://semana.terra.com.co/opencms/opencms/Semana/articulo.html?id=85917

[iron ant]

Intense,maybe one of are spanish speeking friends can tell us what the article said.Looks to be a social coment on Columbia's "turf" wars?

[oddist]

here's one in english

http://www.azcentral.com/ent/arts/articles/0412iraqabuse12.html

There are others..search on Botero iraq

[iron ant]

thanks Oddist,After reading the english version I realized had had miss the subject he was portraying.Still intense though

[fritchie]

I'm not sure how much political content we can put on this website, because we have gone to some lengths to keep the subject "pure art". However, I will say I have found the Abu Ghraib events abhorrent, and I think Botero has a legitimate issue here. Thanks for the post.

[oddist]

My possible mistake...I also thought this included some of Botero's sculpture...

Still, if this isn't "pure art" then I don't know what art is...

[JAZ]

My possible mistake...I also thought this included some of Botero's sculpture...

Still, if this isn't "pure art" then I don't know what art is...

Oddist,
I don't think posting this is a mistake at all because it is about art that makes a political statement, rather than a posting about politics. I agree with Fritchie that we should not have to read political plugs or diatribes. But your posting is about the art of today. I saw the article online a day or two ago and think that Botero is using all artist's perogative to try to change society for the better. Everyone should be held accountable for his/her actions. Everyone, including big, powerful countries. In this case (the Abu Graib situation), I do think that the problem is being dealt with so that this behavior will not be repeated. Hopefully that is not a naive statement. However, that partly happened because the world is watching. That is a good thing.
Bravo to Botero, in my opinion. The comparison I've read between these works and Picasso's Guernica doesn't hold up aesthetically, though. Perhaps Botero's passion is expressed in too literal a way to come up to the emotional power of Guernica. But that doesn't change the fact that he is doing a service to society by reflecting what he sees of society in his sculpture and paintings.
JAZ

[JasonGillespie]

Jaz,
I concur with your post. Although I think that Botero's view is, as are many in connection with Abu Ghraib, more emotional than intellectual...he is doing something that artists should do though...no matter how misguided. We are the recorders and at times judges of the age we live in.

At the same time, we should, as those given a great responsibility, take the time to find out what the truth of a situation is and whether or not our motive is to call attention to or incite. The facts of Abu Ghraib are known, but Botero is in actuality making a greater dramatic spectacle out of the incident with his art than calling attention to the problem it represents in our society. Picasso was discerning enough to portray the horror without melodrama. I think that is the telling fact why Picasso is Picasso and Botero is...well, Botero.


Jason