Three hours, though not unique in its kind, offered the enthusiast a rare chance to relocate a piece of graffiti from one space to another. The journey runs from a farm to a museum, a move that Jesús Arrúe undertakes to protect singer David Bowie’s tribute from damage.
In the morning, the urban artwork carved in iron, wood, foam, and plastic, taken from property on Calle Beneficència, was loaded onto a crane-equipped truck. It was carefully transported from the neighborhood streets to the Carmen Center, a transition marked by deliberate, measured steps.
Upon arrival, the piece was placed in the monastery, where it would stay for a year while plans for a new site were explored. The artist faced the task of identifying a more permanent home for the work.
Madonna’s magic wand
The piece, which had gained global attention after Madonna admired it and commissioned a painting from Arrúe, faced the same peril as other works on display. The property surrounding the farm where the mural originated was excavated, leaving only the façade and the potential loss of the artwork. After extensive discussions with many groups, a resolution was reached to include the work in the Centro del Carmen’s holdings, though only temporarily, as its director, José Luis Pérez Pont, notes that the space is intended for temporary exhibitions and not a permanent collection. It is also observed that urban art shows often feature works on their own walls, which may eventually disappear.
Arrúe described the staging as a birth of sorts, comparing the experience to labor. A construction crew member commented that the project felt historic and one of a kind, noting that such a feat has not been repeated in Spain or globally. The process proved technically demanding, taking about a month from concept to completion. For Arrúe, the moment carried personal pride and reinforced the belief that art can redefine a country’s cultural identity.
Discovery
The relocation from Calle Beneficència was not simple. The artwork was moved from the building with care, arriving in the vehicle as if it were a monumental sarcophagus. The digging required iron supports and a precise arrangement of wooden planks. A polyurethane foam layer and a large plastic cover remained from the staging, and when a camera captured the moment of unveiling, the crowd burst into applause.
In a moment of genuine emotion, Arrúe reflected on the achievement. Tears were not common, yet the sense of accomplishment was overwhelming. The work, created between May and June 2019 near the artist’s former studio, stood as a tribute to late eighties neighborhood culture and its artistic movements. Arrúe never anticipated how social media would amplify the piece, but he acknowledges that the wand has brought a wave of opportunities and commissions. He is hopeful that Valencian artists will receive broader recognition as a result of this project, given the region’s rich pool of talent.
Fernando Giner, a member of the Citizens’ Assembly and an early advocate for saving the painting from excavation, publicly praised Arrúe for his perseverance. The artist felt a deep sense of gratitude for the support and the chance to preserve a piece that resonates beyond its original walls.
Pérez Pont called the action an exercise of legitimacy, noting that the site welcomes contemporary art while bridging Valencia’s history with modern and current creativity. Over the years, this arrangement has fostered new conversations about the city’s cultural landscape.