Samuelis Baumgarte Gallery shows Fernando Botero and Tony Cragg at Art Cologne 2025

Art Cologne 2025 will once again be the venue for important positions in modern and contemporary art. This year, Samuelis Baumgarte Gallery is presenting three extraordinary sculptures, including works by two outstanding sculptors: Tony Cragg and Fernando Botero. Both artists embody different approaches, but they are united by their passion for bringing form, volume, and material into a lively dialogue.

Tony Cragg – Movement, Surface, and the Dynamics of Material

One of the works on display is by Tony Cragg, one of the most internationally renowned contemporary sculptors. His highly polished stainless steel sculptures appear to capture movement – reflection, structure, and energy merge into a single entity. Cragg uses the material not merely as a medium, but as a living surface. It reflects light, space, and the viewer.

Fernando Botero – bronze as a symbol of society and abundance

Another highlight of the presentation is the “Reclining Nude” by Colombian artist Fernando Botero. The bronze sculpture embodies his unmistakable stylistic principle: exaggerated forms, voluptuous bodies, and a subtle mixture of humor and social criticism. Botero, who passed away a few years ago, knew how to portray South American culture with irony and depth. His voluminous figures—both men and women—are symbols of a world lost in prosperity and abundance.

From a symbol of satiety to a critique of prosperity

Since the 1960s, Botero has shaped the international art scene with his characteristic language. His figures are more than representations of human bodies—they are mirrors of a social attitude. Abundance became a symbol of power, possession, and satiety. In many Latin American cultures, a plump body was considered a sign of prosperity: those who were well-fed demonstrated social status.

Materials, editions, and international presence

Fernando Botero worked primarily with bronze, occasionally also with stone or marble. Depending on the theme, he chose the material that most clearly conveyed his idea. Like many of his sculptures, this work is also cast in a limited edition – usually six copies plus two artist's proofs. This practice allows for limited reproduction without losing the unique character of the work.

Decades of connection between Botero and the Samuelis Baumgarte Gallery

The Samuelis Baumgarte Gallery has maintained a close relationship with Fernando Botero for decades. His work was first presented to a wide audience at the Bielefeld Kunsthalle in the late 1960s. Since then, the gallery has accompanied his development, staging major solo exhibitions and regularly presenting his sculptures at international art fairs, including Art Cologne, most recently in 2012.