This cat isn’t new to my blog, but he is perfect for the Giant challenge, and is also an excuse to share a few photos from Colombia.
El Gato del Raval, Barcelona, April 2017
This oversized cat is the work of artist, Fernando Botero, born in Medellín in the Andes range in Colombia. He is well known for his voluminous statues which have been collected and exhibited around the world. He has gifted several pieces to major museums, and many to Medellín and Bogotá.
His home town now has a square, Plaza Botero, featuring 23 his curvy creations, plus others can be spotted around town. In Plaza San Antonio, there are two originally identical birds. The first to be sited here was sadly and devastatingly bombed in 1995. Dynamite left at the base of the statue exploded during an outdoor concert, killing 30 and injuring more than 200, and responsibility was claimed by the leftist guerrilla group FARC. They stated that it was a message aimed at Colombia’s then-defense minister Fernando Botero Zea, Botero’s son, and that they had intended to destroy only the sculpture, not the people. Bolero insisted that the damaged piece remain there as a reminder, and he donated a new bird to stand next to it.
Here is a selection of images of his work, courtesy of my daughter who is travelling around South America at the moment (all images below are from Medellin, April 2018, copyright Rachel Smyth)
Over to all of you to join the challenge with your own giant post.
To join the challenge, please use pingback by putting a credit to the challenge in your post and link it to the URL of this post, allowing others to have the opportunity to visit and join the challenge. Then come back here and leave us a comment.
If you have any problems with linking via wingback let me know in your comment, and add your own URL into your comment.
Many thanks to everyone who brought us things afar last week. If you didn’t have chance to check them out, the links are below.
Aletta at Now at Home
Artworks from Jesh StG
Cee’s Photography
Eklastic at Pictures Imperfect
Frank Prem Poetry
Geriatri’x’ Fotogallery
Grammy Writes
Hadd Hai Yaar
Jackie at JunkBoat Travels
Jaspa’s Journey
Lady Lee Manila
Maranto Photography
Nuthouse Central
Photo Robert’s Blog
Proscenium
Ju-Lyn at Purple Pumpernickel
Sandy at Out of My Write Mind
Sound Mind Journey
Sue at Words Visual
Su Leslie at Zimmerbitch
Willow Soul
Yvette at Priorhouse Blog
Next week’s theme will be dwarf.
Other forthcoming themes are listed here, and to see previous weeks of this challenge, click here
Copyright Debbie Smyth, 8 July 2018
Posted as part of One Word Sunday
Travel with Intent 
Fabulous sculptures Debbie. Well captured
Here is my contribution to Giant
http://bushboy.blog/2018/07/12/going-to-the-market/
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I tend to take things just a tad sideways … so this entry may be no different … 😉 Then again, the impact surely feels giant! So maybe size isn’t … well … everything … 😉 https://naamayehuda.com/2018/07/11/micro-giant/
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Hi Debbie,
I had fun with your giant topic. 😀 😀
https://ceenphotography.com/2018/07/11/one-word-sunday-challenge-giant/
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A couple of my favorite Egyptian giants. https://3rsofretirement.com/2018/07/10/one-word-sunday-giant/
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Hey, here is my entry-
https://ramyatantry.wordpress.com/2018/07/10/monumental-idol/
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Of these, I think that cat is my favorite. The idea of bombing art to make a political statement is horrifying to me.
For my take on this theme, I used my wide-angle lens to make a windmill appear larger than life:https://wp.me/s2owKx-giant
Cheers, Amy
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A lovely windmill
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hi debbie, great and interesting pictures of the artist’s work, here is my contribution to the weekly theme, https://wp.me/p2AvI7-2N9.
regards robert
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Fascinating sculptures, Debbie. I wouldn’t know where to begin with something so big!
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Fearsome yet cool cat!
Here is my Giant: https://outofmywritemind.com/2018/07/08/substantial/
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He’s intimidating!
I think mine is cute.
http://junkboattravels.blogspot.com/2018/07/giant.html
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https://nowathome.wordpress.com/2018/07/08/giant-spectacles/
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Here’s mine, then: https://suejudd.com/2018/07/08/a-garden-giant/
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I have a friend who hails from Medellín. She has told me about these sculptures though never mentioned the cat. What a specimen!
I went to completely other specimen – wood, rather than stone: https://picturesimperfectblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/08/to-walk-in-the-shadow-of-giants/
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Medellin sounds like a beautiful place to visit.
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Like the one you choose of this sculptor – how he did the hairs by the nose. Somehow his shapes remind me on some sculptures of Picasso. Have a great Sunday, Debbie!
https://artworksfromjeshstg.wordpress.com/2018/07/06/this-and-that/
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Happy Sunday, Debbie 🙂
https://ladyleemanilablog.wordpress.com/2018/07/08/giant/
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You too. And thanks for your varied giants
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Great sculpture!
https://geriatrixfotogallerie.wordpress.com/2018/07/08/giant/
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