Glamcult Store welcomes Alex Zamora

Described as “souvenirs of a life you never lived”, Alex Zamora’s work is a limitless journey into the possibilities of homeware. Creating everyday objects with a twist, they have become best known for their gothic, subversive candle holders and liquified vases. Every piece builds upon the narrative of the previous,  in which through an intuitive approach, Zamora is defined through freedom and expression. Glamcult is proud to introduce Zamora’s artistry into the Glamcult Store, and to celebrate we spoke with the clay connoisseur about all things sculpting, pride and the very act of creation. We will also be toasting the introduction of Zamora’s work in the Glamcult Store this Friday 17:00- 20:00, Dollebegijnensteeg 5, see ya’ there! 

Hey Alex, let us begin at the beginning: could you talk us through your artistic journey and approach?
My approach to my work regarding design-creativity is closely related to nightlife and club culture. From having a collective, organising music parties, developing graphics, lights, and VJ, to working in a Design School as a Graphic Designer and also within Spatial and Exhibition Design. I originally moved to Amsterdam to study at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, and whilst there I found a more independent path. I now have my studio where I work mainly with ceramics, but also with furniture and set design.

…Wow! A lot then! And from here, how did you come to find your love of sculpting?
When it comes to working with clay, I had actually never worked with it before a few years ago. It was during the pandemic (on a day with friends) a pack of clay was on the table and I began trying to transfer a drawing within the medium, I was very surprised by the result. I work very intuitively and clay is an incredible material to do that with, you can work very freely and very expressively. It is fascinating.

Within this process, your work has become more than just candle holders or vases, but sculptural art pieces for the home. How do you balance this intersection between practicality and creativity?
I always had a great fixation on objects, and the need to possess them, collect them, and place them in a space so that I can observe them. I am fascinated by the emotions they convey. By intervening space, I give these objects an aesthetic and sculptural value. My work is dictated by emotions and it’s a lot of fun to see how these pieces interact within the environment. Their function is somehow an excuse to have them around.

There is also a gothic, punk element — do you draw references from history within your creations?
I appreciate the excess of gothic or the subversiveness of punk, but I also like anime and science fiction. Lately, some of the shapes have made me think about aerodynamics; like the designs of the 40s and the Art Deco period. Lines and curves and stylized objects are created for no other reason than to please us visually. So deep down I don’t have a particular ‘history’ present within my work, but this is more the privilege of doing what I want almost all the time and finding similarities with other things.

I also see nature within the pieces, from the morphing shape of the work to the colours used. Is this an intentional signifier?
I really like naturalness and spontaneity and also exploring the limits of things. Working intuitively also shows a lot of how you feel at any given moment. The material contributes a lot to that organic aspect.

On a more practical level, what is the process of creation?
Most of the time I start from something that I’ve already done, I like to repeat and modify. And initially, everything starts with an idea, a drawing, or an object that I really want to produce. When you’re regularly producing your work it can be repetitive and uninspiring but there’s also the challenge of creating new things, so I often sit back and let my hands do the work. It is good training.

What has been the proudest moment within your journey to date?
What really keeps me going is seeing your work reach places that you have never been before. Thanks to the internet, the amount of people you can reach is incredible.

So exciting your work will be in the Glamcult Store!
I am so excited to be part of it too, I think Glamcult is a great platform for new generations to get inspiration in fashion and visual culture. There are more and more sites and too much information on social networks, so when you find a well-curated website, it’s very nice to see and almost becomes a reference manual.

Goals for 2023?
Scale up. Bigger objects, and spaces, continue on this path and get new challenges to learn from.