Fernando Botero’s immersive show opens new IMBA Theatre in Singapore
The late master’s iconic figures will come alive through towering projections and interactive elements at Gardens by the Bay’s new theatre
[SINGAPORE] Famous for his distinctive style that exaggerates forms and volume, the late Fernando Botero will be honoured with a new immersive show where some of his beloved figures will come alive through large-scale projections, augmented/virtual reality and interactive installations.
Occupying over 20,000 square feet (sq ft) of fresh theatre space, this large-scale spectacle will be accompanied by a more traditional exhibition of Botero’s paintings, drawings and sketches in an adjacent 12,500 sq ft gallery.
“The whole breadth of his artistic vision – presented with music, lights and monumental figures towering as high as six metres – will create a truly grand experience that’s never been seen anywhere else,” declared his son, Fernando Botero Junior, at a press conference on Wednesday (Mar 19).
The show will open the new IMBA Theatre (short for Immersive Media Based Arts) at Gardens by the Bay, an ambitious project led by home-grown edutainment group Hustle & Bustle (H&B), in collaboration with Acre Design, Arina International Holdings, DP Architects and Kaizen Architecture. H&B has also teamed up with London-based Lightroom, a leader in immersive storytelling, to develop the content.
Born in Colombia in 1932, Botero died in Monaco in 2023, leaving behind a legacy of joy and abundance, with thoughtfully rounded figures populating his paintings.
In Singapore alone, there are a number of Botero sculptures scattered across the city, including the large bronze Bird situated in front of UOB Plaza at Raffles Place – which Singaporeans affectionately refer to as the “Fat Bird” – as well as the Reclining Woman sculpture greeting guests at the entrance of St Regis Singapore.
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Botero Jr says: “My father came to Singapore in the early 2000s and left with the sensation of having been in a place of culture, of art, of civilisation, in one of the great cities of the world… This is a place where his work is greatly esteemed, with several sculptures serving as landmarks – and this has been a source of pride for me and my family.”
Botero is a fitting choice to open IMBA Theatre, the first Singapore venue of its kind dedicated to large-scale, immersive experiences. Capitalising on the growing demand for such experiences, H&B is also working on a showcase of Singapore’s Nanyang artist-pioneers, where works by the likes of Cheong Soo Pieng, Lim Tze Peng, Chen Wen Hsi and Georgette Chen will come alive through the dynamic interplay of projection, animation, light, sound and interactivity.
Michael Lee, CEO of H&B, says: “The theatre will be a portal to immersive encounters to create moments of wonder and a lifetime of inspiration. It will merge technology, creativity and impactful storytelling in the way we showcase local talent and global artistry.”
In recent years, there have been several immersive exhibitions in Singapore centred around well-known artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, Klimt, Basquiat, Banksy and teamLab. They are typically mounted in museums, convention centres, ballrooms and even makeshift spaces such as the Sports Hub Library. This is the first time that a dedicated immersive space of such scale and purpose is being established in Singapore – positioned to permanently host large-format, digital storytelling experiences.
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