What celebrates fetes and follies quite like a scandalous Colombian dinner party?

That’s right, nothing. Botero once again brings out his, not fat, but voluminous figures. 

Whether plucking a sweet tune from a guitar, or simply drinking in complete nudity, these figures are full of happiness as they take a minute to indulge in the joy of life. Wine is endlessly poured, cigarettes are lit and a tiny servant woman skitters around to fetch more cocktails… La fiesta nunca se detiene! 

Throughout Fernando Botero’s paintings people appear bloated and full while his color palette continues to be warm. Dinner Party was painted in a time of peril in Colombia, as his hometown of Medellin became covered in drug-trafficking. This exact year, Botero was a target of a failed kidnapping... As one of Colombia's most renowned artists, he sure knows how to share some folly with the world. Enjoyment can be found even in darkest periods. The good vibes radiate from the Dinner Party and la fiesta continuará.

*** Editor's Note: Students developed the topic of Fêtes and Folly to chronicle elegant celebrations, bad dates, late nights, or other things related to that time in Spring where barbaric yawps can be heard from backyards, beaches, or the more familiar rooftop. Enjoy their revelry, cheeky overstatement, and occasional tales of ribaldry over the next couple of weeks.