The Jerez-born tattoo artist Samuel Martínez, known as Pol Tattoo, has turned the streets of Jerez into a genuine open-air museum in recent months. His hyperrealistic style, which led him to tattoo figures like Ibai Llanos, has now turned to a deeply religious inspiration, with murals dedicated to local virgins and scenes of faith that move neighbors and visitors.
The Virgin of Love and Sacrifice in Madre de Dios
The most recent example is the monumental painting of Our Lady of Love and Sacrifice, inaugurated in March of this year on the side of the Parish of Madre de Dios, next to Juan Moneo El Torta Street.
The Virgin of the Conception at the Puente de Las Viñas
Months earlier, Pol Tattoo had surprised with a mural of Most Holy Mary of the Crowned Conception, patron of the Hermandad de las Viñas. The large-format painting, created alongside artists Cosa.V and Decimart, stands out for the enormous expressive eyes of the sorrowful image, capable of conveying compassion and tenderness.
The work faithfully reproduces the original image carved in 1959 by the Jerez-born sculptor Manuel Prieto Fernández and has been recognized as one of the most beautiful urban interventions in the city.
A hidden nativity scene at Christmas
Faith was also reflected in a humble corner of Cordobeses Street. In December 2024, Pol Tattoo painted a nativity scene as a Christmas greeting, accompanied by a passage from the Gospel according to Saint Matthew:
«Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…» (Mt 11:28-30).
The artist himself explained at the time that his faith and his wife’s illness drove him to represent more and more religious images: «That’s why I’m also painting more religious images,» he confessed on social media.
Classical art and popular culture as complements
Although his most recent production is marked by Christian iconography, Pol Tattoo has left other artistic traces in the city. Highlights include the hyperrealistic portrait of Lola Flores in Cruz Vieja, painted in homage to the centenary of her birth, and recreations of classical works such as The Drunkards and Old Woman Frying Eggs by Velázquez, or the Shepherdess by Bouguereau.
These pieces complement an artistic ensemble that has made Jerez a urban space for dialogue between faith, popular tradition, and universal culture.
Faith, art, and personal testimony
With over 155,000 followers on Instagram and international awards at tattoo conventions, Pol Tattoo has established himself as one of the most influential Jerez artists. Today, his spiritual gaze and realistic technique unite to express beauty and hope.
«I hope to continue sharing my work with all the people of Jerez,» he said after the inauguration of the Love and Sacrifice mural. A message that reflects the dual vocation of his work: art and faith shared in the heart of the city.