We visited two sites in Medellin yesterday: Comuna 13 and Plaza Botero, each with their own unique displays of art.
Comuna 13 is renowned for its graffiti art. However, for years it suffered violence from Narcos, military operations, and the presence of guerrillas and paramilitaries. It used to be a very unsafe place to visit. Since the early 2000s, the government has worked to restore safety to the neighborhood. The mine located on one of the hills is a grave yard of bodies and reminder of the souls lost from both sides during those tumultuous years. It has changed much since that time but still bears the scars.
We also visited Plaza Botero located in the city center. It has 23 sculptures on display by Colombian artist Fernando Botero, a Colombian sculptor whose works portray figures in large and exaggerated sizes.
