Jéssica Ilfu-Soi

Jéssica Ilfu-Soi is a mixed-media artist with a focus on sculpture. Born in Angola and rooted in a multicultural heritage, Jessica has been based in Lisbon for the past 26 years. Her work explores themes of the natural and spiritual realms, human experience, and the contemplation of both the physical and ethereal body. Recently, she has been developing her practice at her studio in Ajuda, within a growing community of artists

In a few words, what does your practice consist of? What does a normal day at your studio look like?

It always starts with music, burning incense, or some sage and palo santo, sometimes all three if I have them at hand. I then dive into the pieces I’m developing, I often work on two or three at the same time, each at their own stage of the process — one may be almost finished, while another can be at its very beginning, and others are drying. The sculptures are hand-built, using a coiling method. This comes from an intuitive process, with a methodology but free guidelines. It can start from a sketch but not necessarily. I tend to let the hands decide the direction they want to take, in conversation with the clay. It’s an ongoing dance led by tactile, intuitive, and natural senses, where every element plays a fundamental part in the making of the piece.

If you can trace it back in time, how did your practice begin? What was that first gesture or impulse?

From drawing to painting, writing, or making concrete objects, I've always felt this urgent need to create with my own hands. It's like an itch that you can't ever scratch until you do, and once you start, you can't stop scratching. It’s compulsive, almost obsessive. I feel like this itch has been present for a long time, and I've been scratching it throughout my life. I can’t pinpoint a specific moment where it all started, but around 2021, I took the first steps into my practice at home, experimenting with papier-mâché, expandable foam, cardboard, and clay. From there, I kept developing my abilities with those mediums and gaining more confidence, building an identity.

Can you share a personal story or experience of yourself initiating a creative process and how your hands played a crucial role?

My hands are my greatest tool in the creative process. Even though the concept starts with a vision, an idea, a dream or a compilation of references, in the end, it is the hands that bring it all to life. They determine the limits of my imagination — whether I am aiming too high or if I can go further than expected.

In my latest series, I created my tallest piece to date. My mindset was to break my own boundaries by challenging myself in terms of scale and complexity. The intricacies involved in materializing references linked to the natural realm present a complex task for the creative process. Nature, being so perfect in its shapes, textures, and colors is difficult to replicate by human hands. Even so, the boundaries I felt necessary to set mid-process were constantly defied by the adaptability of my hands. They pushed me to add more layers and to keep growing the piece despite my reluctance concerning its height, weight, and balance, proving that it was ultimately a matter of trust — trust in my physical abilities to achieve my vision.

Are there repetitive gestures that are fundamental to your creative process, and how do they contribute to the overall creative experience?

Sculpting for me is fundamentally a conversational process, where my hands and the clay engage in an ongoing dialogue. As each shape emerges through my movements, the clay not only responds but also guides these interactions, setting the rhythm while my hands adjust the tempo, creating a symbiotic relationship between both.

I mainly use the coil technique, which involves rolling the clay into strips and layering them one on top of the other to build height. This technique is inherently repetitive — each repetition, like a mantra or a prayer recited continuously, becomes a meditative act. It allows me to lose myself in the moment, creating a state of flow where time fades away and creativity takes over. This repetitive motion is not just a method, it’s an integral part of the sculpture's evolution. The repetitive nature of the coiling helps to deepen my focus and refine my sensitivity to the material, enabling a more in-depth exploration of form and space.

How does a slow and reflective approach to your craft impact the final outcome of your work?

Taking a slow and reflective approach to my craft allows both the pieces and myself to evolve together — the pieces in their development and me in my understanding of them. By moving at a deliberate pace, I gain deeper insights into the physicality of each piece, understanding what they are now and what they could become. Rushing never ends in good results, it’s crucial to know when and how to thoughtfully shape each piece. As they change over time, being mindful of these transformations is essential. This mindset cultivates a deep respect for the materials, recognizing that they too have their own pace of growth and evolution. This approach not only applies to my art but also extends to the human experience.

How much is your creativity influenced by the other and/or the community around you?

My work is a reflection of both the external environment and my own internal thoughts. In it, you can see inspirations drawn from human forms — especially feminine lines and curves, as well as masculine energies. The lines and forces of the anima and animus archetypes intertwine, both forming part of the human subconscious, which plays a crucial role in shaping one's psyche. By observing the impact of time on both nature and us as ever-changing beings, I embark on a quest on our current identities and potential transformations and on how connecting with a higher state of consciousness and aligning with nature can facilitate this metamorphosis.

My creativity does not exist in isolation, it thrives on interaction with others and the dynamic shifts in our natural surroundings. These interactions not only inspire my art but also challenge me to explore the limits of what we can become, creating a continuous exchange between my internal reflections and the external world.

In what ways have you seen your approach to your craft evolve over time, and how have your gestures adapted to these changes?

As I continue my journey, I find more questions, that fuel further knowledge, and research, and also promote my confidence, commitment, and empowerment. Sitting down with my creations and learning to detach from them has been a transformative exercise. I've come to understand that I don't own them. Rather, they are moments in time that I brought to life, and now they belong to the world. This detachment has enabled me to start on new journeys, seeking ways to express ideas and emotions in a non-verbal way. Consequently, this process has generated a silent dialogue, a translation mechanism that moves from thought to tactile interaction. As the ideas become more complex, so too do the forms I strive to create.

What tips or suggestions would you offer to individuals who may want to deepen their creativity through manual practices in their everyday lives? How can others engage with their hands to unlock and enhance their creative potential?

Embrace the act of creation itself. Begin by making something, anything at all. The body is one of our best tools, trust in it and follow your instincts, also experiment with different mediums and materials. Accept that imperfection is part of the creative process. You might be surprised by what you discover once you let go of the fear of making mistakes. There are no rules on creativity (or at least not many). Engage with others who can teach you and challenge your perspectives and when fear or doubt arises, allow yourself to feel it, and then continue regardless.

Please follow Jessica’s practice and research on Instagram. All pictures are courtesy of the artists