Johanna El Zelah (Venezuela, 1986) lives and works in Mexico City.
Artist statement
As our lives become increasingly mediated by algorithms and digital platforms, I ask how these systems reshape the way we perceive ourselves, present ourselves, relate to others, and experience being human. Through sculpture, I seek to give form to these invisible forces.
Masks, hands, eyes, characters, and figurative objects become metaphors for identity, surveillance, self-demand, time, and the deeply human search for meaning.
In an increasingly digitized and automated world, I insist on working with my hands. Clay allows me to think slowly, embrace imperfection, and let time become part of the work. Its cracks, texture, and weight bear witness to a human presence.
My process combines intuition and research. Some works emerge from material accidents or unexpected associations; others begin with cultural phenomena such as filters, memes, and the viral spread of narratives and behaviours. In both cases, clay becomes a space for thinking, experimenting, and uncovering meanings through making.
Rather than illustrating concepts, I seek to create symbols that give form to the tensions of contemporary life, inviting viewers to pause, observe, recognize their own contradictions, and maybe laugh at them.
Education
Licentiate in Social Communication, UCAB, Caracas, 2009
Multiple ceramics workshops and courses, including creative ceramics: modeling, wheel throwing and decoration at CENTRO, CDMX, 2025