video transcript

Odd shaped sculptures welcome the visitors of Mexico City's Palace of Fine Arts. It's the work of Colombian figurative artist Fernando Botero, whose career is being celebrated in this special exhibit. His daughter Lina Botero is the curator of the show. SOUNDBITE: Exhibit Curator and Fernando Botero's Daughter, Lina Botero saying (Spanish) "It is the biggest retrospective ever of the works of Fernando Botero with a total of 167 pieces, including the five monumental sculptures that can be found outside the Palace." Botero's career spans over six decades. He is among the most successful artists of the Hispanic world. His proportionally exaggerated characters, sometimes referred to as "large people", allow for criticism mixed with irony and humor. But the artist says his style doesn't come easy. SOUNDBITE: Artist Fernando Botero saying (Spanish) "To get to the point where I consider the painting a Botero work, coherent, with the same style in all its corners, took me about ten years. Because achieving coherence-- which is really a sign of maturity-- takes a long time." And at age 79 the artist says he has no plans of slowing down. SOUNDBITE: Artist Fernando Botero saying (Spanish) "I work tirelessly around the clock for the passion I have for art and my passion for work. I've never had to be disciplined because I always did it for the infinite pleasure and infinite excitement that I get from painting and making sculptures." The retrospective titled "Fernando Botero: A Celebration" coincides with Botero's 80th birthday which is next month... and will run until the end of June. Elly Park, Reuters.