Headline July 6th, 2012 / "Art Imitates Life"

"Art Imitates Life"

'Great art has to be obscure to be intellectually important. And the message is so obscure people don't understand. Sometimes there is nothing to understand or something very little!' / Untroubled as he is by accusations of sensationalism, the artist also dismisses the counter argument, that the ''Abu Ghraib'' series somehow justifies talk of a before and after ''School of Botero''. 

''This is not the first time i did some dramatic Paintings,'' he observes. ''I did some very dramatic paintings on the violence in Colombia including a controversial picture that some say glorified the final moments if its most famous Drug Lord, Pablo Ecobar, ultimately vanquished in a hail of of frozen police bullets. In Botero's world, clarity is next to godliness. 

And God knows he is good at it. In stark contrast to the growing number of ''bron-strocities'' that populate the public spaces in America, Botero's big art -monumental sculptures, pumped up paintings, elicit that particular mix of enjoyment and reverence that exemplifies the work of a truly popular artist.

It's true the Abu Ghraib paintings don't so much indicate an unnatural progression as tap into his own past. And schooled, drilled, tempered in violence, who, if not Botero is qualified to comment. Remote, disunited and inward looking, Colombia, is visited through his paintings. 

And even a downcast, down-at-heel-series of bordello scenes display minimum of emotion, as passion itself were a crime in the repressive regimes that contributed to Colombia becoming one of the most violent countries in the world. 

He came to New York with $ 200 in his pocket and passed some very very tough couple of years. But, unknown and undaunted, he began selling to friends and those friends of friends. So with no need to curry favour, there was not even a need  to create art simply to please the current critical orthodoxy. 


Which led, in its own noisome way, to Botero being labelled both 'neo figurative' and a 'post abstract realist'. 'For nine years I went around without ever finding a gallery,' he recalls. But it's clear that critical acclaim alone, by having bypassed Botero all his life, holds little interest for him. He pivots and then soars: ''But I think the idea that I have always had was clear. 

And it was the idea that art should give pleasure. Of course, there must be a reflection of something. If you are an expert you must be able to see the influences of the artist, his philosophy about the language of art. But for everyone else it must also be clear. And sensual, and something everyone can enjoy!'' Yes, a great artist and art speak directly!!

Good Night and God Bless!

SAM Daily Times - The Voice Of The Voiceless