Nearly 130 original works by Maestro Fernando Botero have landed at Gardens by the Bay in IMBA Theatre‘s headline launch experience, spilling from an immersive experience and sculptures, while BMW Eurokars Auto extends the celebration with Botero-inspired bespoke cars as “precious steeds” for the Year of the Horse
If there is a single exhibition poised to dominate Singapore’s cultural calendar in early 2026, this is it. Botero in Singapore, a landmark showcase jointly presented by IMBA and the Fernando Botero Foundation, is bringing close to 130 original works by the late Colombian master to Gardens by the Bay, in what organisers call the artist’s largest and most ambitious presentation ever staged globally–and its first and only stop in Southeast Asia.
Anchoring the presentation is IMBA Theatre, a new, purpose-built venue at the Garden’s West lawn, next to Bayfront Plaza. IMBA Theatre is designed to hold immersive experiences and gallery exhibitions under one roof.
Fittingly, Botero’s signature language–those sumptuous proportions and unmistakeable silhouettes–arrives in three formats that feel made for Singapore’s love of spectacle, craft, and public art.
A Life in Fullness is the world’s first immersive experience dedicated to Maestro Fernando Botero, offering a glimpse into Botero’s journey through a 45-minute audiovisual journey. Photo by IMBA Theatre
First up: A Life in Fullness, billed as the world’s first immersive Botero experience. The 45-minute audiovisual journey is narrated by Fernando Botero Zea, the artist’s eldest son, and blends animation, archival material and spatial storytelling into an intimate portrait of Botero as artist, father, and rebel. It opens on 6 March, with early-bird tickets from 30 January.
Heart of Volume marks the Singapore premiere of a diverse range of works drawn directly from the collection of the Botero family with 118 artworks to offer audiences a rare and comprehensive encounter with his rich legacy. Photo by IMBA Theatre
Complementing it is Heart of Volume, a major gallery exhibition featuring 118 paintings, drawings and indoor sculptures spanning Botero’s 70-year career—a deep dive into the discipline behind “Boterismo”, from draughtsmanship and colour to theatrical composition. It opens on 13 February, with early-bird tickets also from 30 January.
Then, the citywide flex: Garden Grandeur places 10 monumental bronze sculptures outdoors—four at IMBA Theatre and six across Gardens by the Bay—turning the landscape into a living gallery. The public can view the sculptures from 24 January, inviting strolls, pauses, and photo ops with Botero’s civic-scale forms.
And because this is Singapore, where luxury loves a crossover, Botero’s legacy will also roll out on four wheels. As the Official Automotive Partner, BMW Eurokars Auto presents “A Precious Steed”, translating Botero-inspired compositions onto bespoke BMWs and framing the automobile as a sculptural object where form, volume, and motion converge.
The name nods to 宝马 (literally “precious steed”) and the horse’s symbolism of vitality and forward momentum.
Look out for the BMW 735i and BMW iX40 at the BMW Eurokars Experience Centre, with a public viewing until 22 February alongside rarities including the BMW 3.0 CSL and BMW Skytop; a Botero-inspired BMW 735i will also be presented at IMBA from late January.
Come for the curves, and stay for the cultural takeover. Don’t be surprised if your favourite Botero moment happens somewhere between a gallery wall and a gleaming bonnet.
