This Thursday, San José Obrero hosted a very emotional day on the day in which Migue Benítez would have turned 41 years old. The deputy mayor of Public Services, Jaime Espinar, and the delegate of Youth and Participation, Carmen Pina, have attended the graffiti inauguration dedicated to the scratch artist made by Fran Castro ‘Thing V’, with the support of Manu Benítez. This artistic initiative has had the collaboration of the City Council, through the municipal areas of Public Services, Youth and Participation.
This inauguration event has been surrounded by the presence of family, friendscompanions in the artist’s musical career, highlighting the presence of ‘El Canijo de Jerez’, and residents of the neighborhood.
The inaugurated mural is based on a photograph of Migue Benítez on the day he turned 19, and has numerous details that make allusion to his friendship with Francisco García ‘Kisko’resident of San José Obrero, graffiti artist, and designer of the first logo of Los Delinqüentes, who died in 2002. Fran Castro thus adds in this tribute different references to his former graffiti partner.
The Youth delegate, Carmen Pina, accompanied Fran Castro and Manu Benítez on the day where this mural began last Friday. Migue Benítez was a very recognized for his talent and musical contribution, and for his songs with the group Los Delinqüentes, where he shared a career with ‘El Canijo de Jerez’ and Diego Pozo, who excused his absence from the inauguration of the mural as he was in New York for artistic reasons.
Pina stated that “we come to celebrate Migue’s birthday, a very special birthday, and from the City Council and the city itself, the residents of San José Obrero and Palos Blancos, his family, friends and fellow artists are celebrating this gift that you deserve in your memory”. “We thank Fran, author of the mural, and Migue’s brother, Manu Benítez, for their encouragement and also for starting this initiative,” he added.
A pilgrimage site
Manu Benítez has also thanked “Fran Castro for wanting to paint Migue after the La Paquera mural, and give this gift to the family and to Jerez, and to the City Council for all the support they have given us, asking Adif for permits, preparing the area, and assisting with everything that Fran needed to carry it out.”
“It’s graffiti that bathes you with its light, it is very special for us that it is here in the neighborhood, and also that it serves to remember Kisko, friend of Migue, designer of the first Los Delinquentes logo. The graffiti reflects Migue’s gaze, his universe, his white glasses, the sky… Uniting all of this in a mural has been a hard and at the same time very exciting process, and thanks to ‘El Canijo’ for being here, and to all the family and friends, who send us their love and Long live the scribblers!”Manu remarked.
‘El Canijo de Jerez’ explained that “in high school Migue and Kisko were together, we were in the canals, under the plum tree, and they always went together. We did theater, we spent many hours laughing at Migue’s house. I am deeply moved to be here, because great artists never leave. Migue left symbolism, a great legacy of songs, Migue will continue to be more alive than ever when we are all gone because his songs are eternal, and artists never leave, they become invisible.” He hopes that “this mural and its surroundings will be a pilgrimage site for scratchers”.
For his part, the author of the mural, Fran Castro, explained that “I have tried to capture the essence and I thank Manu for the nuances he has given me, adapting it to my vision, to my colors, and it has been a privilege and pride live this moment, make the mural and remember Migue in this way.”
‘Young Alameda’
This Friday, European Music Day, the Youth Delegation organizes the ‘Alameda Joven’ show with a lot of talent from Jerez on the stage of the Alameda Vieja. El Canijo de Jerez and Tomasito will be the artists in charge of making the public enjoy a very special night to welcome summer and in which the art of crayons will surely be very present in the public’s memory and in the staging from El Canijo de Jerez.
This concert will begin at 9:30 p.m., and will have free entry. It will have a food truck area to enjoy a night with the best flavor as a complement to a very attractive show with a Jerez accent.
El Canijo de Jerez will take the stage with the hits from their ‘Ash and mud’ tour. It will be a great opportunity to accompany him on a special night in his hometown, since the artist has announced that after this tour he will take a period of respite.
The Alameda Joven will continue with the performance of Tomasito, artist with several decades of experience and successes behind him, and who has national recognition for his free character and unmistakable talent.
