Born in the South of France in 1968, Jérôme Pereira lives and works in Lodève, near Montpellier. A lifelong fascination with geology and speleology led him to study physics and geophysics before pursuing research and teaching. During his national service in the Czech Republic in the early 1990s, he discovered sculpture, working with upcycled materials.
Upon returning to France, Pereira was introduced to wood carving, honing his skills through improvised street exhibitions in Marseille and travels to Mali and Burkina Faso, where he learned traditional techniques such as adze carving and bronze casting. In 2004, he created his first lighting sculptures, marking the beginning of his dedication to sculptural design and the production of unique, functional works.
Since 2013, Pereira has collaborated with French textile artist Sylvia Eustache Rools as the artistic duo AWARÉ, creating sculptural objects in wood and textile inspired by a shared fascination with geology and archaeology. In 2022, AWARÉ was a finalist for the LOEWE FOUNDATION Craft Prize, with one of their works exhibited at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SEMOCA). Represented by Philia since 2015, Pereira’s works have been shown widely in France and internationally.