Collection: Jose Mena

I am José Mena, a contemporary figurative ceramic sculptor whose work emerges at the intersection of clay, ethnographic research, and societal change. Born in Spain and shaped by many years of living in countries such as Spain, Sweden, India, Cambodia, Uganda, the Philippines, and now the United States, my artistic practice is the result of a life in motion, molded by the cultures I have inhabited, the systems I have explored, and the experiences and contradictions that have accompanied me and that I have never fully left behind.

Before turning to sculpture, I worked for over a decade as a strategy designer in human-centered design and social innovation, collaborating with organizations such as the United Nations, WHO, UNICEF, and Save the Children. Trained as a product designer with a master's degree in architectural lighting, I spent over 14 years exploring how people navigate complexity, vulnerability, and resilience. Working with communities across four continents, I used ethnographic observation, in-depth interviews, and participatory methods to co-create innovative solutions to their challenges. However, clay marked a turning point: a path to move from analysis to embodiment, from data to presence.

I believe that clay is one of the most democratic and emotionally accessible materials in art. It holds memory, vulnerability, and truth alike. Through my sculptures, I translate social issues that personally resonate with me and lived experiences into a physical form, allowing stories to be not just understood but felt—and making visible what is too often overlooked or silenced.

I bring the quiet power of listening into the clay, creating works that open space for complexity. Through the material presence of my sculptures, I invite reflection, move viewers to empathy, and ultimately to change.