Wearable fine art
- Alexander discovered his craft in secondary school
- He won the National Diamond Competition in 1983
- Sharing his knowledge is vital to his practice
It was during a crafts class in high school that Alexander van den Hoven was introduced to a jewellery-making career. He soon realised he had a natural talent for producing jewellery when he turned small copper coins and rings into pendants by enamelling them. The enterprising 14-year-old started to sell his pieces. Today, as master goldsmith, he works with precision and a design sense garnered during his studies at the art academy. Inspired by the way branches diverge in trees or the arrangement of leaves in a flower, Alexander gives life to the unexpected, allowing chance into his designs, which results in colourful jewellery that surprises.
Interview
How would you define what you do?
I make small sculptures. Each design is a piece of fine art executed in gold or platinum. I turn memories into something tangible, shiny, sparkly, something that might be excavated in a thousand years and treasured for posterity.
What is something about goldsmithing that people don’t normally know?
A ring is made from a strip of gold by bending and hammering, then soldering, acidifying, rinsing, filing, sanding, and polishing. Until the polishing phase, it looks like a piece of black brass and only magical polishing transforms it into a shiny golden ring.
Can you name a memorable moment from your career so far?
When I won First Prize at the National Diamond Competition, organised by De Beers. It generated a lot of publicity and kickstarted my professional career. People approached me to design jewellery for them and I opened my shop as a result.
Do you have specific design goals for the future?
I hope to still be working as a goldsmith-designer in 10 years’ time. I also hope that I will have been able to pass on a lot of my knowledge to the younger goldsmiths at the Dutch Guild of Goldsmiths.
Alexander van den Hoven is a master artisan: he began his career in 1974 and he started teaching in 1985
Works
Where
- Address: Address upon request, 6826 ML, Arnhem, Netherlands
- Hours: By appointment only
- Phone: +31 652263904
- Languages: Dutch, English, German
Alexander van den Hoven
- Address: Address upon request, 6826 ML, Arnhem, Netherlands
- Hours: By appointment only
- Phone: +31 652263904
- Languages: Dutch, English, German
