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Luis Ortega Brú Museum
To learn and understand the work of Luis Ortega Brú is a must for any citizen from San Roque. It is here where a comprehensive range of his work can be found exhibited on a permanent basis.
There are 160 exhibits, unseen up until now, and they can be appreciated by the sculptor’s use of different imagery and styles, from baroque imagery to abstract or expressionist art.
“Everything interests me”
With his work we can uncover the mystery surrounding his poetic vision and the curious way in which he communicated with his people.
Out of his celebrated collection, stands out: “The Mysteries of the Resurrection and the Piety” - a full-sized sculptured piece, made out of wood.
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The artist Luis Ortega Brú was born in San Roque (Cádiz), on the 10th September 1916. He came from a traditional family who were potters by trade. As a child he learned everything there is to know about clay from his father’s pottery workshop in Pasadahonda. He was the eldest of four children: Marina born in 1918; Géminal in 1920; Onésimo who died as a child; and Augusto born in 1924 and who died in 1988 and was also a sculptor. Luis was a pupil at the art academy of Domingo de Mena, in San Roque, and at a young age assisted in classes dedicated to artwork. However this was the only education he ever had. He was 19 years of age when the Spanish Civil War began; bringing with it a series of catastrophic events that changed his life. Both his parents were shot and he went from jail to jail, and was in concentration camps. In spite of this, Ortega Brú’s work could not be suppressed by such atrocities but grew in strength.
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The tragedy suffered throughout his life was a vital experience contributing to the strength and tenderness reflected in his works. In the 1950’s, he met his wife Carmen León Ortega with whom he had four children: Ángel, Onésimo, María del Carmen y Débora María. His dedication to sculpture was all-consuming and he worked in various workshops in Seville, Madrid, Jerez and Málaga. His best work is full of imagery and a part of his life can be found in every piece of art. The researcher Juan Carrero defined his work by stating that when he created an image, he wanted to express his feelings and emotions to the people, and this inner spirit is reflected entirely in each one of his sculptures. He was a nonconformist and considered his best work was yet to be produced. His work can be found in Mexico, New York, the Vatican, Brussels, Madrid, Barcelona, but mostly in Andalusia and notably in Seville.
Antonio Pérez Girón
Official Chronicler