Jean-François Pereña
Jean-François Pereña, born in 1946 in Madrid, is a jeweler, sculptor, and painter whose career lies at the intersection of art and craft. After studying at the Beaux-Arts in Geneva in the 1960s, he opened his own studio in the early 1970s and soon emerged as a distinctive figure in contemporary jewelry. In 1987, he settled in the Drôme region of France, where he found an environment conducive to research and experimentation. His work is defined by a constant push beyond traditional boundaries of jewelry-making: instead of relying on conventional precious materials, he embraces the unexpected, combining fish leather, exotic woods, nacre, raw metals, and even recycled industrial elements with refined techniques of goldsmithing. Conceived as wearable sculptures, his pieces explore the relationship between matter, light, and the human body, resulting in unique creations that balance poetry with powerful visual presence.
Throughout his career, Pereña has gained institutional recognition and strong visibility through solo and group exhibitions. He has presented his work in Switzerland and France, notably in Lausanne, Geneva, Aigle, Carouge, and Nançay, while also taking part in avant-garde design salons. A major retrospective in a Geneva museum cemented his place in the field, with the institution preserving a significant collection of his works. More recently, a Paris exhibition highlighted his singular universe and reaffirmed his reputation as an inventive and unconventional creator. Often described as an alchemist of jewelry, Jean-François Pereña has forged a unique style where refinement meets experimentation, establishing himself as a key reference in contemporary auteur jewelry.