Art of the Year - 1975

The 1970’s art world showed the continued influence of movements from the 1960’s such as Minimalism, Post-Minimalism and Performance Art. The mid-70’s brought the return of painting as a serious medium for avant-garde artists. Feminist Art, Land Art and Photorealism also became increasingly prevalent during this era, largely due to evolutions in the broader social and political climates.  

The President, Fernando Botero, Portrait, 1975.

Fernando Botero’s signature style is characterized by the use of rotund figures and inflated forms, drawing inspiration from a variety of sources including Renaissance masters Giotto and Paolo Uccello and the 20th-century Abstract Expressionist movement. One of the most widely known artists from Latin America, Botero depicts subject matter that frequently emulates compositions of past masters. His bulbous renderings of these familiar images are often interpreted as gestures of irony or caricature. The rounded appearance of Botero’s painted figures is mirrored in his sculptural work, usually created in bronze, large-scale and often displayed in public.