Botero’s Cat, a symbol of Barcelona

If you have walked in the neighborhood of Raval, you have probably already seen this friendly-looking character created by Botero.

Fernando Botero is a Colombian sculptor and painter from the city of Medellín. Botero is famous for his unique pieces, created under his own version of figurative art. His style is so particular it has even been called “boterismo”.

His pieces are easily recognized by critics and the public, due to their exaggerated volume, strength, sensuality, exuberance. One of the characteristics that make Botero’s work so easy to recognize is the interesting, almost comical way the artist represents anatomy, in a disproportional yet visually pleasing way.

Gato

Fernando Botero’s cat sculpture, known in Spanish as Gato, arrived in Barcelona in 1987, having stopped in many locations like Parc de la Ciutadella and the Olympic Stadium, before it found its permanent site. This bronze sculpture represents a large, chubby cat, and is today a famous part of the history of Barcelona

It’s difficult to remain indifferent to Botero’s Gato, which is why you can often see children trying to climb it, playing around it, and adults petting it and taking photos next to it.

El Gato lives today at Rambla del Raval.

Horse

The chubby cat is not Botero’s only sculpture in Barcelona. If you pay attention when you arrive at Barcelona El Prat airport, you will come face to face with Caballo, a muscular horse with extremely tall legs and a small head. Present in Terminal 2 since 1992, this funny-looking horse has been the greeter of millions of tourists who exit the sliding doors after collecting their luggage.

Other works

Botero has a variety of pieces that have become part of the international landscape. Some examples are his Big Bird sculpture in Singapur, his Busto exhibit at Parque Thays in Argentina, his Mujer Reclinada sculpture in Perto Rico, and El Dolor de Colombia collection in Colombia.