The spine has become an almost ubiquitous symbol to the modern eye, perceived as a grimly beautiful element of the Gothic aesthetic and our fascination with all things skeletal. Yet throughout the ancient world, the spine held a far deeper spiritual significance, one that has largely been lost in modern thinking.

‘Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.’ Arthur C. Clarke

The AI genie is out of the bottle, and already impacting creative industries like cinema. Obviously, as a studio who still employ traditional artists and sculptors, Alchemy have also had to decide on how to interact with such technological advances. Particularly when many of their competitors are increasingly using them to cut corners, or even dispense with their creative teams completely. We asked Alchemy’s co-founder and chairman Geoff Kayson for his take on the matter. ‘I am both disturbed and saddened by the relentless – and furtive – takeover of all traditional forms of human creativity, skill, and individual expression by digital technologies’ sighed Geoff. ‘The now ubiquitous use of computer generated art and AI design, coupled with 3D printing technology and automated production is killing originality and reducing our world to just cloned concepts.’

Few of us have escaped the cost of living crisis created by the political and economic chaos that’s dominated the headlines in recent years, unleashed by the likes of dictators such as Vladimir Putin. Hefty energy bills have impacted on everyone’s budgets, while at Alchemy we’ve also been hit hard by the rising price of materials. Particularly metal, which has soared in price; global conflicts have created an increasing demand for arms & munitions, AI data centres consume vast amounts in their electronics, and this, all added to the recent disruption of its principle supply from Southeast Asia. Alchemy’s core medium is pewter, which is 92% tin, which although might not seem an obvious component in AI or military manufacture, this and its other alloyed component metals are essential to countless modern industries. In January, headlines announced ‘Tin hits all-time high’, having risen in price to almost double in 12 months. As Alchemy refuses to compromise on quality – the elegance, detail, and durability that we pride ourselves on – we too are facing spiralling costs.

It was way back in 1997, the year following Dr. von Rosenstein’s public debut, and the revelation of his historically sensational introduction of what he termed as ‘The Art of Science’, that Alchemy Gothic released a scale replica of one of his most triumphant, though markedly controversial and spectacular achievements – the Humunculus.

On 1st January 2027, Alchemy will begin its celebration of 50 years since its inception, in 1977.

Following the recent release of our “Regina Covenorum” pendant (P1005) some of our customers have expressed an interest in knowing more about the cryptic looking text featured on the piece. So we decided to take a few minutes to explain a bit about the text and its origin.

We would like to wish everyone a happy lunar new year. We hope the year of the Horse will be a prosperous one for you all.