Botero's Cat & Balto

Fernando Botero is a figurative artist and sculpture known for his strange and uncanny way of depicting bodies. Botero's "Cat" (or "Gato") is a well-known bronze sculpture that currently resides in Barcelona. The cat follows the same style of Botero's other works- large, comically chubby, and disproportionate. The statue had been passed around for a while, going from the Barcelona Zoo to an Olympic stadium before being placed in the neighborhood of Raval. While the sculpture doesn't have any significant meaning, it has become a recognizable symbol and is a favorite meeting place for friends.



A more recognized figure is Balto, found in Central Park, NYC. The statue is based off one of the lead sled dogs, a husky named Balto, that traveled 674 miles to deliver medicine to a diphtheria-stricken town in Alaska. His heroic deed earned him a bronze statue that has been standing proudly since 1925, now a favorite to kids in the park who climb on him and take photos with him. I remember visiting the statue when I was young! 





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