Few artists are as instantly recognisable as Fernando Botero. His voluptuous figures, rounded, theatrical and quietly mischievous, have long occupied museums and public squares around the world. In early 2026, they arrive in Singapore in spectacular fashion.

Set against the soaring greenery of Gardens by the Bay, Botero in Singapore is a landmark cultural moment: a first-of-its-kind showcase bringing together more than 130 original works by the Colombian maestro. Presented by IMBA in collaboration with the Fernando Botero Foundation, the exhibition unfolds across immersive media, gallery spaces and monumental outdoor sculptures, marking both IMBA Theatre’s launch and Botero’s most ambitious presentation ever staged globally.

Singapore is the exhibition’s first and only stop in Southeast Asia, positioning the city once again as a gateway for major international art experiences.

Purpose-built for immersive storytelling and gallery exhibitions, IMBA Theatre sits at the crossroads of culture, nature and architecture. Designed to welcome audiences across generations, the venue aims to make art open, curious and deeply human, an ethos that aligns seamlessly with Botero’s own belief that art belongs to everyday life.

For IMBA, this exhibition sets the tone for what’s to come: bold, accessible programming that bridges classical mastery with contemporary presentation. For visitors, it offers multiple ways to encounter Botero’s world, whether through quiet observation, cinematic immersion or playful interaction outdoors.

The experience centres around Life in Fullness, the world’s first immersive presentation dedicated to Fernando Botero. Created in close collaboration with the Botero family and narrated by the artist’s eldest son, Fernando Botero Zea, the 45-minute audiovisual journey feels less like an exhibition and more like an intimate conversation.

Through animation, archival footage and enveloping spatial design, the experience traces Botero’s life from his Colombian roots to international acclaim. But this is no conventional biography. The narrative explores Botero as a father, a rebel and a man shaped by love, humour and profound loss. His iconic figures swell across the space, revealing the emotional undercurrents behind their confident volumes. At its core, Life in Fullness is a tribute, a son’s letter to his father, inviting audiences to see the humanity behind one of modern art’s most celebrated visual languages.

For those who want to linger with the works themselves, Heart of Volume offers a rare opportunity. The major gallery exhibition brings together 118 paintings, drawings and indoor sculptures drawn directly from the Botero family collection, spanning an extraordinary 70-year career.

From early watercolours to fully realised compositions, the exhibition traces the evolution of Botero’s distinctive “Boterismo” style, precise draughtsmanship, rich colour and theatrical composition, while revealing his deep engagement with Classical and Renaissance traditions, as well as modern masters like Picasso.

Previously shown in cities such as Rome, Baku and Guangzhou, many of these works make their Singapore debut here, offering local audiences an unusually comprehensive encounter with Botero’s artistic legacy.

Botero believed deeply in art beyond museum walls, and Garden Grandeur brings that philosophy to life. Ten monumental bronze sculptures, four at IMBA Theatre and six woven throughout Gardens by the Bay’s Silver Leaf Garden, transform the landscape into an open-air gallery.

Set among tropical foliage, the sculptures invite interaction: visitors pause, photograph, circle and reflect. Their exaggerated volumes lend humour and gravitas in equal measure, turning the gardens into a shared civic space where art, nature and city life intersect.

Five masterpieces by Maestro Botero will be on display at Shangri-La Singapore from 8th January to 1st March 2026, accompanied by a Botero-inspired Afternoon Tea at The Rose Veranda. A blockbuster exhibition and more, Botero in Singapore unfolds as a citywide experience, one that invites audiences to move between gallery, garden and table, between contemplation and delight.

Photo Credit: The Botero Foundation

Five masterpieces by Maestro Botero will be on display at Shangri-La Singapore from 8th January to 1st March 2026, accompanied by a Botero-inspired Afternoon Tea at The Rose Veranda. For more details, please refer to Shangri-La Singapore’s website.

Botero in Singapore forms the centrepiece of IMBA’s official launch in Q1 2026, alongside the Southeast Asia premiere of David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not Smaller and Further Away), an immersive experience presented in partnership with Lightroom UK.