Jesus, Arrúe raised in the chinese neighborhood of Valencia. In the seventies and early eighties, it was usual for children to go down to the street to play. “It was a hard period, that of the horse (heroin), the needle spins through the parks, but also had a code of honor, of respect, and if you were a neighbor and you knew him, you respected it, and look at us we care!”, remember, this painter of 46 years, in front of a portrait recently finished Andy Warhol.
he Began painting on the walls, sometimes with the paintings of the Alpine that would give the prostitutes, and he continued in the nearby Public Library, located in an old insane asylum (one of the first of Spain) the renaissance of the FIFTEENTH century, the so-called Hospital dels Innocents, or of Folls. “There we were picked up in affection. We spent the afternoon drawing, and we could see the books and the comics”, account in the first person plural, which also includes five brothers.
it has Not stopped painting since then, but until that died David Bowie three years ago, has not been able to devote exclusively to it. His brother Peter, on the contrary, it was consolidated some time ago as one of the painters and the sculptors most respected in Spain in the art of a religious theme. Also demonstrated talent other two brothers, but chose a safer path and now act as inspectors of police.
Jesus has been-go-go in clubs, which in its time marked the Path to the Bakalao as a Spook or Puzzle; he has also worked as a waiter, salesman and manager in clothing stores fashion. “The night is very hard and sometimes compaginaba several jobs and could barely paint, but at the same time I am inspired by life and for that you have to live it,” explains the artist made himself, who abandoned his studies in Psychology and Arts and Crafts.
The portrait of the Madonna of Jesus Arrúe that the singer hung up on his Instagram.
His life changed when he hung on the social networks, his portrait of the british singer, as a tribute to his idol teen. Had such a repercussion in the box inspired by an iconic cover of a disc that began to lloverle orders. A well-known executive bought several, I got an order of the united STATES. The sold for around 2,000 euros. “Even though he was not a regular basis, I saw the possibility of a plunge into the void,” he explains in his study of the barrio del Carmen, where they crowd his works, mostly portraits of famous inspired by photographs, although there are also orders from anonymous people.
“When Alex Gonzalez went up his portrait to his Instagram it was a rush and I noticed it,” says Jesus, alluding to the actor with more than a million followers. Alejandro Sanz, Miguel Bosé or Antonia San Juan have already with portraits of this guy in chinatown whose life took another unexpected turn last summer. Appeared Madonna, that she adores also since adolescence.
he Had posted on his Instagram a video with the portrait of the american singer, showing how he could remove them and put the patch of canvas that will cover an eye on your new image as a Madame X, the title of his latest album. The personal coach of the pop star saw it and was interested in him. After months of waiting, Madonna went up to his Instagram the portrait in his version with patch and bought him the box.
Jesus still gets excited when he remembers. “I spoke in private with Madonna, who thanked me for my work,” says the artist who has painted one of the maids of honour of Madrid chosen by the public. Now you have various offices that pulls ahead while you fight against the turistificación from the centre of Valencia that he kicked out of the house where you live rented for years. “The truth is that whenever things happen to me,” says the now also representative neighborhood.
