Some individuals are fortunate to be brilliant at something they like, but to be a prodigy is a whole other level. This is the situation with Andres Valencia, a well-known young painter from Spain. At barely ten years old, the brilliant abstract painter is unquestionably a child prodigy, having accomplished feats that older painters can only dream of. He held a one-man show at the New York Gallery Chase Contemporary, a solo exhibition at the Art Museum, and sold his whole painting collection for up to $20,000 apiece.
His most famous clientele are Channing Tatum, Diane Keaton, Sofia Vergara, and Brooke Shields. Andres’ love of painting is evident in his vivid and meaningful work. His works are a mash-up of cubism, symbolism, and surrealism, influenced by Picasso and George Condo. The young artist has created a number of remarkable works of art, but his conception of a modern-day “Guernica” devoted to Ukraine is what got him noticed.
In this picture, titled “Invasion of Ukraine,” a huge eye is depicted sobbing onto a Ukrainian flag, which is adorned with bullet casings and a crushed heart. With its vivid colors and deformed Cubist forms, the picture depicts the horror and terror of war. Andres became unwell on March 25, a month after the Ukraine invasion began, according to his mother, Elsa Valencia.
She remembers watching the news about the conflict in Ukraine on this day, while Andres was in his bedroom. She went to see whether he was okay and spotted him painting something. “I inquired about the picture. He called it a “invasion of Ukraine.” The picture had a profound effect on me. “I sat there thinking about it,” Elsa said. “I turned to face him and inquired if he needed a large canvas. He asked me whether Putin would do something to him.’ ‘No, he won’t do anything to you,’ I replied.
‘What makes you believe he’d do anything to you?’ I inquired about him. ‘Because when Picasso painted Guernica, Franco was not pleased, and they wanted to damage Picasso,’ he said. The teenage painter completed the painting on a large canvas in only nine minutes. Elsa said that she made certain to inquire about the meaning of the picture. He gladly obliged and explained the whole vision to her, going over each detail.
“I believe that art communicates stories, and my tale is about the Ukrainian people and what Russia is doing to them.” “My picture tells a narrative that cannot be forgotten,” Andres said. Andres’ father, Lupe Valencia, is also a great supporter of his son. He is an art collector, and he has always suspected that their kid is a talented artist. “When he was 4 or 5, my wife and I would watch him paint and draw, and we were always amazed at what he could accomplish,” Lupe recalled.
“On the one hand, you believe you appreciate it because you’re meant to like your children’s activities. However, as time passed, things became more complicated and advanced. Bernie Chase, who currently represents Andres, agreed to represent him when he was 6 or 7 years old. He informed us that Andres will be a significant artist.” Chase’s comments became a reality five years later when Andres blew the minds of other artists and art buyers worldwide with his extraordinary painting skills.
Andres is also a humanitarian, in addition to being a great young painter. He gives the earnings from some of his paintings to other charities. One of them is his artwork “Invasion of Ukraine,” the revenues of which will go to the people of Ukraine. He also gave UNICEF one of his paintings. This picture, titled “Maya,” was sold for 225,000 euros. Andres’ paintings will continue to touch people’s emotions for many years to come if he maintains his modesty. He is certainly an artist to keep an eye on!