In 2014, a complex of buildings for the Port Plaza business center was built on the site of the former Graifer experimental plant. And in 2016, original sculptures appeared near its buildings – the figures of a horse and a young lady lying on the back of a bull. Their uniqueness lies in their shapes, which seem unnaturally bloated and rounded.

These are copies of works by the famous Colombian sculptor Fernando Botero. He became famous for his works, in which literally everything (from people and animals to ordinary objects) is exaggeratedly inflated. This applies to both paintings and sculptures.

Interestingly, until the mid-50s, Botero worked in the usual manner: people are like people, animals are like animals. The sharp turn occurred quite by accident, when the artist was creating “Still Life with Mandolin”. He noticed that the musical instrument turned out to be too bloated. At first it seemed just funny and funny, but as a result it was reborn into the signature and unique style of Botero.

Botero’s paintings are included in the collections of many museums around the world, and his sculptures are installed in many cities. “The Horse” and “The Abduction of Europa” in Moscow are copies of famous sculptures, and not the only ones.

Therefore, now it is difficult to say exactly where the originals are located.

Botero does not hesitate to paint in his own style not only his own, original works, but also creates “copies” of famous paintings. Even in his self-portraits, he portrays himself in his own unique manner. As an example, I cite one of the self-portraits and a copy of the famous “Mona Lisa”.