Gligor Kuzmanovski is a contemporary jeweler from Macedonia who moved to Romania some months ago. He graduated history of art with archaeology at St Kiril and Metodij University, Skopje. At his first participation at AUTOR 2018 he literaly fall in love with Romania and he is now living in Bucharest. In tight connections with art he made his first tries in sculpture back in the late nineties, but the past eight years his focus is the wooden jewelry.
We also fall in love with his magic wood jewelry world and we had a short talk with him before AUTOR 2019.
When and why did you start making jewellery?
My life is twisted around art and making. From toys and gadgets in the childhood, through art history at the university, from sculptures to jewellery. I wanted to take “the art” out of the museums, in a wearable people’s gallery. So I started making sculptures for the body.
What have you prepared for Autor 2019? How would you describe it in only 5 words?
Last year I presented The Eggshell collection, this year I am coming with its baby, Hatched.
Silky. Subtle. Sensitive. Tactile. Refined.
From my point of view, the universe of your jewellery is very dynamic: from simple lines to complex structures and concepts, it draws its inspiration from nature, ranging from earth to rainbow colours.
Yes, I totally agree with your way of seeing it. Inspiration from nature, mixed with life events, memories, happiness, sadness, longing.. all stirred up with a dose of love.
Depending of what you want to express, they vary in the forms, colours, complicity or simplicity.
And from my point of view, now I am floating in a calm wave sea.
How do you build a new collection?
The construction starts in my head, brick by brick, idea over an idea. Then, with every new piece made, others are already designed in my mind. It’s like making a big puzzle, excitement rises as pieces fold together until the culmination of seeing them all as one.
Do you want to learn to use other materials, like silver or gemstones?
I am always open for other materials, new experiments. As so, I recently played with paper too, I must say, I am quite pleased with the results. And yes, one day silver, gemstones, their turn will come.
The ceramists are saying that clay calms them down, they enter in a state of mindfulness. You also work with a natural material, what is your relation to wood?
That is a special relationship, what we have with the wood. I don’t know if I found it, or it found me. Working with it, is a mutual thing. Although I have my hands on it, thinking that I have the control, sometimes it leads me, showing me its grains, showing me the way, we create together.
You just moved to Romania and in the last year you visited our country very often; how do you feel about the jewellery market?
Thanks to AUTOR, last year was my first visit to Romania, and it caught me for good : ) I was surprised how many people visited the fair, their interest in jewellery, the culture of wearing it. Now I can even witness it on the streets, and other markets too. Coming from Macedonia, where the things in this field are going a little bit slower, I think that the Romanian one is on a right track.
What calms you down?
Sit on a bench in the park, sun on my face, coffee in my hand, hug from a dear person.
How would you define your style?
Smooth.
Do you feel your Balkan roots in what you are doing?
I can not distinguish them as an observer from aside, and say that they are from this region. But for sure there is something deeply rooted of which I am not aware, and only by touching them, the feeling is brought, the feeling of warmth, the feeling of home.
Photos: Ana Lazarevska
Models: Ivana Kocevska, Marija Nikolovska
Interview by Anca Cocioartă