Álex Sobrón: «I have no training as a jeweler and I have learned from the naive»

In August 2020, the firm Álex Sobrón Jewelery began its journey after the young artist, who made his pieces for his own use, noted the growing interest in his designs. Now, he is immersed in the development of his next collection and in making it "more commercial and accessible without losing the essence or the meaning". Personalities such as the rapper Kaydi Cain or the influencer and model Luka Sabbat have been seen with their pieces, but Sobrón highlights that «my first strong collaboration arose with some stylists from Barcelona who used my pieces in a photo session with Nathy Peluso, but it is from the Finally agency's interest in my jewelry that becomes something serious».

Pieces from the ‘Season 3’ collection. Aitana del sol

Immersed forever in the world of fashion and art, Sobrón is the grandson of Juan Solivellas, promoter of the Gaudí Hall in Barcelona and the Vía Verí in Palma. His mother Verónica Solivellas, a shoe designer and for years the right hand of the designer Miguel Adrover, one of his references: "It has been something very organic and I have been exploring various media," he points out.

"I have always loved jewelry and adorning my body and I have always been interested in fashion and art and the debate about where the limits of fashion and art lie", says Sobrón. The invitation from the jeweler Marta Salinas to make a mold with wax opened the doors of an activity that for him is "a common area between art and fashion. My pieces are very sculptural, very performative. With them I explore the limits of the body”. Uncomfortable to wear, they prick, they are too big and can even cause pain. Álex points out that «I make very exclusive jewelry, but not in the socioeconomic sense of exclusivity: I don't design for everyone because not everyone understands it. It's about finding an audience that can relate to or establish a personal narrative." The artist admits that "I am not trained as a jeweler and I have learned from the naive, facing materials without having a clue." Thus, Sobrón has established his own technique and the result is jewelery that could not have been made any other way.

Álex Sobrón: «I have no training in jeweler and I have learned from the naive»

Portrait of Álex Sobrón. Charles Darder

Sobrón uses only noble metals and unpolished stones. The artist reveals that reconnection with nature is one of the defining facts of his work: «Flowers are a very important live motif. Artistically, nature inspires me. The flower is fragile and has a limited duration, but I have the power to transform nature, turn it into something eternal and dangerous, "he reflects.

Catholic iconography and more specifically the cult of pain, has also influenced his creation: «Pain is something taboo, we don't want people to tell us about their misfortunes, but it is necessary to understand life» . For the artist, in addition, suffering has a beauty that has stimulated his creativity: "I am super spiritual, but I have chosen things very specific to the Catholic religion, such as the martyrdom of Santa Águeda to create breast-shaped jewels." She comments on the importance of bringing this symbol to a current context and for this reason, 15% of what she collects with this collection will be used to cover breast operations for trans women.

In his next collection, Sobrón has been inspired by Arab culture and flamenco. In fact, he will establish a series of collaborations with flamenco artists and the design of the pieces will be designed so that they can interact with them. Sobrón, who got closer to this genre during the confinement, confesses that it has become an obsession: «Musically, flamenco is very complex and I am fascinated by how true and honest it is, the depth of its lyrics».