About Jou Benavides

I am an American/Spanish abstract and figurative sculptor known for mixed-media and modern interpretations of myths and legends.

My work focuses on dreamlike and fragmented mythical imagery - influenced by myths, legends, and superstitions. I find these themes visually provocative and embedded with history, diversity, lore, and symbolism. I try to express emotions, gestures, and personal stories through multilayered forms, texture, and surface treatments.

I was born in Reus, Spain and raised in a multi-generational home with my grandparents, uncles, and aunts. My devout grandmother’s habits and stories, and the religious sculptures, iconography, and relics in my home left a lasting impression on me. When I was seven, my mother married a U.S. serviceman stationed in Madrid. This is when I began a life of frequent travel, living in cities and towns throughout the world, and learning different customs and cultures that served as early inspiration for my art. As an adult, I studied the social and psychological influence of myths on the human experience: Joseph Campbell and Carl Jung had a profound influence on me and became a focal point for my art. In California, I worked under noted sculptors Max Demoss and Matthew Antichevich

My work is in public and private collections around the world and has been exhibited nationally and internationally. My most recent exhibits include a solo exhibition - Legends of Catalonia – in 2023 at the Cal Cabaler gallery in Creixell, Spain. That same year, my work was featured alongside other international artists in the Sol y Sombra exhibit in Tarragona, Spain.

The Sarria Centro de Exhibición y Exposición in northern Spain acquired three of my sculptures for their permanent collection in northern Spain. See El Progreso’s newspaper interview here.

Recent Exhibitions

Earth and Soul, Tarragona, SPAIN

Legends of Catalonia, Creixell, SPAIN