Mother and Child No. 4

Peruvian artist Alzamora is drawn to warping, distorting or mutating the human figure to pull out significant emotional or biological resonances. ‘Mother & Child’ is from a series of pieces that uses white porcelain and features a similar expression — the form of mother and child, carefully rendered, with the surreal and oddly dark obscuration of the head with flowers, strips of cloth or vines. The subtle accents of pink naturally draw focus in, and a stern or impassive expression peeks through. What might otherwise be elegant or beautiful takes on a more mysterious and complex stance. Alzamora examines the ecstasies and agonies of life through a careful process in which a material’s potential will inform his response — a position as assistant at the Polich Tallix foundry in New York bestowing him with an intimate knowledge of technique.