Iohan Figueroa's Menagerie

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At the age of six, Iohan Figueroa first fell in love with ceramics during an elementary school art program. It wasn’t until he was 25 years old that he returned to the medium and eventually created Iohan Studio. In addition to ceramics, he works in silver, bronze sculpture, painting, and illustration.

When you see his work, there is a common thread throughout many of his pieces. He often focuses on animals, making miniature sculptures of whales, dinosaurs, and squirrels, small clay masks of foxes and rabbits, and terrariums in the shape of

“salchicha dogs”. The faces of his animals are delicate, with precisely sculpted features; their bodies are often round and smooth. There is a unique charm to his images alongside a profound sentience.

Iohan’s focus on animals stems not only from an interest in representing animal forms but also a deep appreciation of nature. Originally, Iohan had considered studying biology in university, but he ultimately realised biology

working with clay, he tends to come to new projects with less preconceived ideas of what he is going to make. By holding the clay in his hands and allowing the process to happening organically, he is able to create a new piece of art. With bronze, a fluid process is more difficult, and, instead, he tends to think of his ideas before starting. With illustrations, Iohan always carries a sketchbook and pen around so that he can put his ideas down on paper at the exact moment inspiration strikes.

Iohan finds inspiration from many sources, with museums being particularly important for him. From the zoomorphic sculptures at the Amparo Museum in Puebla and the Anthropology Museum in Xalapa to the Louvre’s collection of Egyptian statues and mythical creatures in Greece, Iohan’s own art is strongly influenced by these collections. He has worked in various museums and galleries in Oaxaca, including serving as an assistant to the artist Gandalf Gaván and helping Sergio Hernández in his private gallery. He credits these experiences with helping him learn and

Iohan Figueroa’s

Menagerie

Text: Claire Schadler

new body of anatomical sculptures which relate to critically endangered species.”

Despite all of these external sources of inspiration, not the least of which are the traditional techniques as well as the beautiful colours and enamels of Oaxacan pottery that he deeply admires, Iohan has found an aesthetic truly his own. He explained that he “tries to maintain his own style” and that, “almost all of my pieces have been completed in different workshops, and I think it doesn’t matter whether I’m in Oaxaca, or working in the workshop of Pablo Pajarito in Guadalajara, or in the Girona Workshop in Medellin, Colombia, I always try to maintain my own personal aesthetic.”

You can find Iohan’s bronze sculptures at Galeria Quetzalli in the centre of Oaxaca, and individual appointments are available to see his ceramic work in his personal studio. Follow him on Instagram at @iohanstudio to see more of his artwork, and keep your eye out for his Etsy site that’s in the works!

Photos: Iohan Figueroa

wasn’t his passion. Through his artwork, he hopes to encourage an appreciation of local fauna, introduce people to species from around the world that they might not be familiar with, and raise awareness about the plight of endangered species.

When it comes to making his art, there is no typical day for Iohan, and he likes it that way. He enjoys working in various workshops so that he has something different to do every day. Whether high temperature firing in San Agustín, working with bronze in San Pablo Etla, or moulding pieces of red clay in San Marcos Tlapazola, Iohan is constantly exploring new materials and techniques.

Similar to the variety found in his workday, his artistic process changes with each artistic medium. The spontaneity of his process is important: “As an artist, I’m always looking for new connections that might not have seemed obvious at first, but one way or another, they make sense to me.” When

develop his personal work.

In addition to his local work in Oaxaca, Iohan has had the opportunity to travel and work in other parts of the country and the world. Last year, he worked with ceramicist Pablo Pajarito in Guadalajara, and he most recently came back from Portland, Oregon, where he had a pop-up show at Via Raiz, an independent design shop dedicated to promoting Mexican craftsmanship. In talking to him about these experiences, he mentioned, “They have a strong impact on my work and help me continue to grow and discover new techniques and new possibilities. Every time that I return from a new workshop I have more tools and ideas to apply in my work.”

In September, Iohan will participate in an artist residency through a non-profit organisation that supports contemporary international artists in Le Vigeant, Poitou- Charentes, France. During his residency at Maison Salvadore, he will be “developing a

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